PRACTICE Of YOGA Swami Sivananda
Published by THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY P.O. SHIVANANDANAGAR-249 192 Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttaranchal, Himalayas, India
Price]
2006
[ 95/-
Eighth Edition: [ 2,000
Copies ]
©The Divine Life Trust Society
ISBN 81-7052-013-4
/
.
Published by Swami Vimalananda for The Divine Life Society, Shivanandanagar, and printed by him at the Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy Press, P.O. Shivanandanagar, Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttaranchal, Himalayas, India
PUBLISHERS' NOTE The work, Practice of Yoga, is one of the earliest productions from the pen of His Holi ness Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj and, perhaps, the oldest. It appeared many years back in two volu mes and has been out of print for a long time. It i s now being released agai n in a single, complete vol u me. The contents of the book wi II show that it covers varied fields and can, thus, form an excel lent introduction to the spiritual way of l i vi ng. The force and the compelling expressions of the Swamij i are a novel feature especial ly in his writi ngs which he intended to be a general directive to everyone. All his earlier writi ngs were characterised particularly by an enthusing admonition on the necessity of leading a life of the quest of the Spirit, with which the book commences. This rousing preface is usual ly followed by the phi losophy, ethics and practical i nstructions which al ways fi nd a prominent place in every one of his writings. Here is an outstanding example of a sai nt speaking from experience with a direct address to people who hunger and thirst for a permanent remedy and solace in a world of dreary expectations and hopes that offer l i ttle satisfaction. Man has to gird up his loins to do something rather than merely expect a miracle to happen i n the course of Nature's evolution. This doing is an outcome of one's wholesome being, the reconstruction of which on a sound and rational basis is the phi losophy of spiritual l i fe and the Leaching of al l adepts in Yoga. We are confident that this edition will be a source of inspiration to begi nners and remain as a general guide even to advanced seekers of Truth. -THE DIVINE Lire SOCIETY
v
INTRODUCTION bonum of existence, the end and aim of human The summum life, is u ni versally accepted by all right-thinking men and women as the real isation of God-consci ousness and, as such, a c lear and comprehensive knowledge of the various ways and means to that end will not be quite unwel come. Unless the aspirants know i n unmistakable terms this exact science a s understood and practised by the sages and saints of yore, it wil l be extremely difficult if not impossible for them to attain peace, joy, bliss, i mmortality and God-consciousness.
It is my si ncere conviction that thi s book· will be of immense help to al l types of aspirants. This contains many practical lessons on Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Jnana Yoga in a nutshell. This book will doubtless help the aspirants i n the path of Jnana to enjoy the supreme bliss of i ntense meditation. Followers of Raja Yoga of Patanjali Maharshi will find in this book equal ly interesting and valuable lessons for the attai nment of perfect concentration and the blissfu l state Nirvi kalpa Samadhi . Again it serves as a divine l i ght to all Bhaktas to fix their minds on the effulgent glory of their lshta Devata. Students of Karma Yoga and Hatha Yoga will fi nd a wealth of i nformation and knowledge which will be of inestimable use to them. To the spiritual aspirants this book wi ll be a gift from the land of gods. If a si ngle i ndi vidual is really profited by the use of this book, my !'lincere efforts to serve Brahman (Brahma-Karma) i n expression-humanity and the world a t large-will b e more 'than amply repaid. The ulti mate import of Vec;lanta· is that the Ji va is identical with Brahman whose essential nature is Sat-Chit-Ananda. But owi ng to the force of Avidya (ignorance) the i ndividual soul identifies itself with the body and thinks that it l i ves only for the life-term of the physical body. Cooped up by the· brain, it i magines that its knowledge is only so much as can be circumscribed by the brai n. Carried away by the pleasures of the senses it whirls about i n the midst of them as though they constituted the real bliss. When it wakes up from the dream of l ower things of the body and looks upwards to the higher world of Spirit, it discovers i ts del usions Vll
and finds itself identi cal with Brahman. This discovery has to be made by each soul i n the human body in which it is functioni ng through the three mai n gates of head, heart and Muladhara. It cuts asunder the heart-knot (Hridaya-Granthi ), and real ises its all -pervading character;· it raises beyond the brain through Sah
without Jnana is i mperfect. How can one who has realised his oneness of Atman remain without serving the world which is only Atman i n manifestation? B hakti is not at all di vorced from Jnana but is rather exceedingly helpful for i ts perfect attainment. Bhakti is not antagon i stic to Jnana. There is mutual dependence between the two. B oth lead to the same desti nation. B hakti and Jnana are not i ncompatibles l ike acids and al kal i s . One can combine B hakti Yoga with Jnana Yoga. The fruit of Bhakti i s Jnana. Para B hakti and Jnana are one. Perfect knowledge is l ove. Perfect l ove is knowledge. Sri Sankara, the Advaita Kevala Jnani was a great B hakta of Lord Hari, Hara and Devi . Jnana Deva of Alandi, a great Yogi, was a B hakta of Lord Krishna. Sri Gauranga was a refined Advaita Vedantic scholar and yet he danced in the streets singing Hari 's name. B hakti can, therefore, be combined along with Jnana w ith much advantage. "The scriptures are endless; there is much to be known; time i s short; obstacles are many; that which is the essence should be grasped, j ust as the swan does i n the case of m i l k mi xed with water." 0 readers, nectar's sons ! Wake up. Open your eyes now. Do not waste your whole lifetime in studying the ocean of scriptures. I am your well-wisher. I am a cosmic friend. I can help you in your object. Assi mi l ate what you have learnt. Put them into practice. Ascend the Yogic l adder step by step and attai n the supreme God-conscious state. Never, never forget the last word of the Vedas: Tat Tvam A s i m y dear brothers, Thou art That. -
Sarve Bha vantu Sukhinah! Om Santih, Santih, Santih!
IX
CONTENTS Ill
Publishers' Note Introduction . .
iv Chapter One OBJECT OF YOGA
3 3 6 10 10
Yoga Defined . . . . Yoga and Joana . . . Miserable Mundane Life . The Goal of Life . God-reali sation . . . . . Chapter Two FOUNDATION OF YOGA
Necessity for a Guru . Selection of Aspirants Faith in Scriptures . . Brahmacharya . . . . Lack of B rahmacharya . Mitahara . . . . . . . . Give up Salt . . . . . . Renunciation-Its Service to B rahma-j nana Seclusion for Three Years . . . . . . . . . Sadhana Chatushtaya . . . . . . . . . . .
11 12 13 13 18 18 20 20 22 23
Chapter Three ETHICAL CULTURE
Lead a Moral Life . Dharma and Adharma B uild Your Character Control Evi l Habits . Eradicate Negative Quali ties Conserve Your Energy . . . .
25 26 28 31 36 40
Chapter Four PREPARATION FOR YOGA
Purification . . . Ethical Trai ni ng . . . . . . . . Importance of Yama and Niyama Destroy the I mpurities Culti vate Virtues . . . . . . . . Develop Patience . . . . Medical Aid for Chitta-Suddhi Trataka . . . . . What i s Bhakti? . . . . . . Fruits of Bhakti . . . . . . Characteri stics of a B hakta Japa . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Chapter Five YOGIC PHYSICAL EXERCISES AND PRANAYAMA
Benefit of Yogic Exerci ses . Padmasana S iddhasana . . S i rshasana . . Sarvangasana . Paschi mottanasana Sukhapurvaka Pranayama B hastri ka Pranayama . S i tal i Pranayama . Maha Mudra . . . Uddiyana B andha
56 57 57 57 59 60 60 61 61 61 61
Chapter Six MIND AND ITS FUNCTIONS
Essence of Sadhana . Evolution of M i nd . . . Theory of Perception . Pure and I mpure Mind . Mind i n a Jnani . . . . Mi nd-A Frightened B i rd Mind-A M i schievous Monkey . Mi nd-A Play i n g Chi l d . . . .
62 62 64 65 66 67 67 68
Mind-A Wi ld B u l l Mind-A Wild Horse Ever Control the lndriyas Control the Wandering M i nd Thought-culture Mental Factory Memory-culture Important Exercises I nstructions on Memory Wi ll-culture How to Develop the Wil l Instructions on Wil l-Culture 0
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Chapter Seven THE LAW OF KARMA
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Chapter Eight OBSTACLES IN YOGA
Moha-Attachment Poor Health Impure and Immoderate Food Infl uence of Tamas Doubt Vishaya-Asakti Manorajya Dilly-dallying Shilly-shal lying Evil Company The So-called Friends Ji lly-jal lying Name and Fame Irregularity and Cessation of Sadhana Lack of a Preceptor Fear Anger Force of Samskaras 0
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Chapter Nine MEDITATION
Places for Meditation Brahmamuh urta Meditation Room Time for Meditation How Many Hours t o Meditate Three Instrumental Causes Meditation and Action Elementals Real Rest i n Meditation · · .
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Remembrance i n Meditation Hi nts on Medi tation Instructions on Meditation Practical Instructions Meditation on Rose Meditation on a B u ffalo Meditation on Mahatma Gandhiji Meditation on Virat�Purusha Meditation on Divine Songs Meditation on the Gita S lokas Meditation on Gayatri Meditation on Mahavakyas Concentration on B reath Meditation on Soham Saguna Meditation Nirguna Meditation Pos iti ve Meditation Negative Meditation Saguna and Nirguna Meditation 0
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Chapter Ten SPECIAL SADHANA
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Laya Yoga . . . Auto-suggestion . Chapter Eleven THE YOGA OF WISDOM
Theory of Vedanta Important Qual ifications . Jnana Yoga Sadhana . . Your Real Nature . . . . Residuum of Ignorance The Five Sheaths . Jiva in Sleep . : Sat-Chit-Ananda . Svarupa Jnana . . Nature of Moksha Cosm i c Consciousness . Omniscience . . Ajati-Vada . . . . . . . Brahmakara Vritti . . Fate of Brahmakara Vritti Nature of a Ji vanmukta Who is a Jnani . . . . . . Vedantic Meditation . . . Savi kalpa and Nirvi kalpa Samadhi .
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Chapter Twelve MYSTIC EXPERIENCES
Anahata Sounds . Mind Moves . . . Feeling of Separation Materialisati.on . . . Astral Journey . . . Lights in Medi tation Dazzl ing Lights .
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APPENDICES
Appendix One QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
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XV
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Appendix Two GARLAND OF YOGA
A Real Guru
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The Ashram Life
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Advice to Sannyasa Students Health and Yoga Yogic Powers
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Appendix Three LIVES OF GREAT SAINTS
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Appendix Four ANECDOTES
A Brah m i n Priest A Soldier Bhakta A Saint
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GLOSSARY
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XVI
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About the Author:-
SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA Born on the 8th September, 1887, in the illustrious family of Sage Appayya Dikshitar and several other renowned saints and savants, Sri Swami Sivananda had a natural flair for a life devoted to the study and practice of Vedanta. Added to this was an inborn eagerness to serve all and an innate feeling of unity with all mankind. His passion for service drew him to the medical career; and soon he gravitated to wh�re he thought that his service was most needed. Malaya claimed him. He had earlier been editing a health journal and wrote extensively on health problems. He discovered that people needed right knowledge most of all; dissemination of that knowledge he espoused as his own mission. It was divine dispensation and the blessing of God upon mankind that the doctor of body and mind renounced his career and took to a life of renunciation to qualify for ministering to the soul of man. He settled down at Rishikesh in 1924 , practised intense austerities and shone as a great Yogi, saint, sage andJivanmukta. In 1932 Swami Sivananda started the Sivanandashram. In 1936 was born The Divine Life Society. In 1948 the Yoga-Vedanta
Forest
Academy
was
organised.
Dissemination of spiritual knowledge and training of people in Yoga and Vedanta were their aim and object. In 1950 Swamiji undertook a lightning tour of India and Ceylon. In 1953 Swamiji convened a 'World Parliament of Religions'. Swamiji is the author of over 300 volumes and has disciples
all over the world,
belonging
to
all
nationalities, religions and creeds. To read Swamiji's works is to drink at the Fountain of Wisdom Supreme. On 14thJuly, 1963 Swamiji enteredMahasamadhi.
PRIICTICE OF 'lOG/I
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECT OF YOGA Yoga · Defined The term 'Yoga' comes from the Sanskrit root 'Yuj ' which means 'to j oi n . ' I n its spiritual sense, it is the process by which the identity of the Jivatman and Paramatman is realised by the Yogi . Yoga means union with the Lord. This i s the goal o f human life. Yoga is the Adhyatmic science that teaches the method of joini ng human spirit with God. Yoga is the divine science which disentangles the Jiva from the phenomenal world of sense-objects and li nks him with the Absolute. Harmony is Yoga. Yoga is oneness with Brahman. Yoga is union with Brahman. Dwelling i n B rahman i s Yoga. Yoga is unity, homogeneity, sameness with Brahman. In Patanjali 's Yoga S utras it is stated: "At the time of union, the Seer (Purusha) rests in His own unmodifi ed state." In Dattatreya Samhita, you w i l l fi nd: "Sarvachinta parityagat nischinta yoga u chyate the state wherein there is no Sankalpa-Vikalpa, as a result of renouncing the formative w i l l , i s termed Yoga." Agai n it i s defined: " Yoga-samadhih samatavastha jivatma paramatmanoh J ivatman becomes identical with B rahman. That is Yoga." The B hagavad G i ta says: " Yogah karmasu kausalam_..:._Yoga i s ski l l i n actio n" and "Samatvam yoga u chyate equ i l i brium i s called Yoga." How this Yoga is attai ned i s descri bed i n the subsequent pages. Yoga i n a generic sense refers to Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, Jnana Yog'l, Hatha Yoga, Mantra Yoga and Laya Yoga. In a restricted sense it means the Ashtanga Yoga or Raja Yoga of Patanjali Maharshi. The word Yoga is also applicable i n a secondary sense to all those factors that go to constitute _Yoga, that are conducive to the . final achievement or fulfi l ment of Yoga. A Yogi is one who has reached the highest Samadhi . -
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Yoga and Joana Jnana Yoga is th(! royal road and is described in every practical treatise of Vedanta. The point of starting is the hearing of Vedanta texts from a profound and sympathetic teacher. It is only the
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PRACTICE OF YOGA
Upani shads that can give accurate knowledge of Brahman. The proper hearing from beginning to end will convince the hearer that the ulti mate i mport of all the holy texts is i n establishing the identity of individual soul with B rahman. The doubt as regards the vali dity of the Vedanta texts, the recognised source of B rahma Jnana, is removed by hearing. The second step is ratiocination of what is heard. Reason is allowed to exami ne from all sides the import of Vedanta texts. A l l possible doubts with respecr to the nature of Brahman, the subject of i nquiry, are set aside by· ratiocination . The conviction of the absolute nature of Self brought about by h eari ng and ratiocination is verified by experience based upon deep meditation of Self. Constant meditation does away with al l forms of perverse knowledge and obstructions (Viparita Bhavana) in the form of impressions of actions, and reveals the true nature of Self. The moment the absol u te character of Self i s realised, the phenomenal world subsides together with its generati ng cause, Maya. The destination i s now reached and the aspirer becomes a perfect Paramahamsa. "When seeing B rahman as the highest and the l owest everywhere, all knots of our heart are broken, all sorrows are split, all· doubts vanish and our works become nothi ng." -Mu ndaka Upanishad, III-ii , 8. The same goal can be reached by Yogi ns also by contemplation of Brahman devoid of quali ties. Holy · texts l ike the following evidently show that contemplative devotion to the Absolute i s another means o f l iberation "That Cause can be comprehended by reflection over Its nature through Vedanta texts as well as by contemplation of Its absolute . nature." "The goal which is reached by philosophical enquirers is also attained by contemplators ." The Sruti text which denies the contemplation of Brahman should be understood in the sense that Brahman as such is impossible to contemplate. In l i ke manner, the text which shows the i mpossi bility of knowing It, means that It can never become the object of knowledge in Its absolute nature. Ail the methods of knowing and contemplati ng Brahman are based upon that aspect of Brahman, which is quite close to the Absol ute. That aspect vanishes when the knower or contemplator ceases to exist as an i ndependent entity. No sharp i ntel lect is required of the aspirer in Yoga l i ne. It i s sufficient if he is perfectly moral , self-control led and devoted to ·
OBJECT OF YOGA
5
his teacher. The teacher too need not be as learned and profound as in the first case. He must be pure i n conduct and thoroughly conversant with the traditional lore. A perfect sage of Jnana Yoga, who is learned and moral, can give lessons in philosophy and contemplation to his two disciples of different .mental cali bre. It may be noticed in concl usion that though contemplation is a means of l i beration, i t i s not as efficacious and prominent as philosophical i n vestigation; because a man whose obstructing sins are washed off reali ses Brahman by the l atter more easily than by the former. An aspirer for realising Brahman, w ho works through contemplation, is advised to proceed by the scientific method of Patanjali: IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE Yoga is restraining the mental modifications. Now, a Yogi plugs his mind, as it were, through effort; just as you p l ug a cork. He tries to make the mind quite blank. A Jnani does not care a bit about the mind during meditation or Nididhyasana stage, though he has tranquillised i t through effort, Sarna, in the beginning. He rests i n B rahman through Rrahmakara-Vritti generated through the hearing of Mahavakyas as 'Tat Tv am Asi ' or ' Aham Brahma Asm i . '
·
This Brahmakara-Vritti is a Sattvic modification, Pari nama of Sattvic Antahkarana which envelops, environs and embraces Brahman. A Jnani remains as a Sakshi n or silent witness of the mental modifications (he does not plug the Vrittis, as a Yogi does) and uses the mind and body as i nstruments. A Jnani is always i n Samadhi, even a t work also, whereas a Yog i can enter into Samadhi only i n closed rooms, i n an Asana (Jada Samadhi). A Yogi is affected by Maya, during waking state, when he is out of trance or out of Samadh i . A Jnani does not want an Asana. He i s in Samadhi while walking also (Chaitanya Samadhi). A Yogi cannot work while i n Samadhi , whereas a Jnani can . The method differs. A Yogi has a controlled mind. A Jnani has a dual consciousness, j ust as a trained man typewrites, plays on the piano, and a lady does knitting and embroidery work, at the same ti me both are talking to their neighbours. There is no 'in trance' and 'out of trance' for a Jnan i . He is al ways in S amadhi. He is not affected by Maya while at work. There is a difference in the start also between Yoga and
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PRACTICE OF YOGA
Vedanta. A Raja Yogi starts with Buddhi and w i l l ; to be more correct, he starts directly with Atman� A Jnana Yogi ratiocinates, reasons out, reflects, discriminates, anal yses and synthesi ses. This ,is Savitarka method. He uses the 'Neti-Neti ' doctrine-not this, not this; I am not the body; I am not the mi nd; I am Sat-Chit-Ananda-Aham Brahma Asmi. As he thinks, so he becomes. According to the Bhramara-kita Nyaya, he constantly and intensely thi n ks that he is Brahman and becomes Brahman. A Raj a Yogi converts all Vrittis i nto one Vritti, Savi kalpa S amadhi, and by· giving up this last Vritti al so, enters into Nirvi kalpa Samadhi and then realises that he is Brahman. A Jnani gets i nstantaneous Mukti . A Yogi passes through different stages, from Chakra to Chakra scientifical ly. He crosses plane after plane. They both meet at the j unction pl atform, S uddha Brahman.
Miserable Mundane Life Being m uch hemmed i n on all sides and whirling in different conditions . in this fluctuating world, you are ever tossed. in delusion and afflicted with pains, l i ke dust of sand floati ng i n the midst of a large stone. Now reflecti ng upon time which is eternal in its true nature, you cannot but term, as a moment, the hundred years of your life . While so, how is it that you estimate your life greatly and fall into all sorts of despondencies through the powerful desires? Who is there so debased i n life as you who are spoi led through your gross mind? Fie on your uneven life which cannot be considered as of any moment. Comparing this earth to the countless uni verses, you cannot but consider it as an atom. It i s reall y surpri sing that you should rate high this uni verse full of pai ns. Indeed you are unable to find one object i n this archaic universe which is sweet and beneficent for one twinkling of the eye at least. While so, it is really marvellous to see the heterogeneities of the universe. Even the greatest of petsons will in course of time become the lowest of the low. All enjoyments, great men, and thei r k i ndred have appeared in the past- Where then is the certitude of existence of all objects now? The innumerable earths with their rulers and their wealth have all perished like fine sands; the Devalokas with their Indras and wealth have all disappeared l i ke flash i n the sky above: no l i mit can be imposed upon the number of universes, Brahmas, mundane eggs and Ji vas that have come and gone. Where then are all the objects that have vanished out of sight? Where then is the permanency of this
OBJECf OF YOGA
7
earthly life? I t is only by bestowing your desires on the i l lusion of long dream of bodi ly del usion i n the sable night of the unreal Maya that you have debased yourself to this ignorant state. E nough, enough with all the deaths you had undergone i n previous lives. Not one beneficent object exists on this ear h, either in the beginning, middle or end. Are not all created objects coated w ith the varnish of destruction? You enact in your dai ly life with your body dire si nful acts, forbidden deeds and i l l i m i table vices. In youth, you are enveloped with ignorance; in adult age, you are . enta ngled in the meshes of women; i n old age, you groan under the burden of S amsara and debi lity. You eventual ly die. Being thus always occupied, when will you find time to devote yourself to the commission of virtuous deeds? How did this Maya come to play and dance i n this world? This ghost of your m i nd dances i n the theatre of this uni verse to the music of the sense-organs. If in the opening and the closing of the eyeli ds, many Brahmas are created and destroyed, what are you, a puny self, before them? You are but repeati ng the same actions as yesterday y ielding but momentary hap pi ness and enjoyed things do recur again . Things seen yesterday do again present t hemselves today. Ornaments worn with exultation yesterday are again donned by you. And yet, even intelligent persons do not becom e disgusted with them and are not ashamed of enjoyi ng them again and agai n . Like ignorant children that do taste agai n and again sweetmeats whi ch impart sweetness for the time being, you are also afflicted, ignorant of the true path. Days, fortnights, months, years and Yugas do cyC le again and agai n as formerly, and nothing new crops up. Wealth which only makes hosts of thoughts to whirl in the brains will not confer you bliss. This wealth which the m i nd covets and is very ephemeral in i ts nature is utterly useless l i ke a flower-bed i n a creeper growi ng i n a wall and enc ircled by a serpent. The Prana which is l i ke a drop of rainwater dri pping from the end of a leaf turned overhead fl its out of the body, at unseasonal tim es. This life is ephemeral l i ke autumnal clouds or a gheeless lamp or ocean-waves. Life and death are two acts in the s cene (drama) of the Juggler (Brahman). Real ly nobody comes or goes. The l i ves of . those who have freed themselves f rom rebirth are the true ones and the noblest; but others ' l i ves are l i ke those of old asses. There is nothing so baneful as this l i fe which is perishable in its nature and fleeting i n the bestowal of pleasures. The fire of desi res has scalded you enough. In the present state, even a bath in ambro� ia
8
PRACTICE OF YOGA
will not cool you. It is these everwexing desires that bring on the pain of rebirth, t he heaviest of all pains. This body which , is composed of muscles, i ntestines, urine and faecal matter and i s subject t o changes, bei ng a t one time fat and at another ti me lean, shi nes in this mundane exi stence simply to undergo pai ns. What beauty then is to be enjoyed in this body which is composed of blood, fl esh and bone, which has the tendency to rot, which is the same for the rich and the poor, and which is subject to growth and decay? This body is a false air- bag, fi l led with rotten vegetable, urine, faecal matter and various kinds of impurities. What happi ness is there to be derived from the string-tossed puppets of fe male bodies composed of joints, muscles, bones and flesh? Where is the beauty i n a female? The real beauty is the emanation from the Atman i nside. Look at the condition of the eyes, face and the body of a woman after an attack of seven days' fever. Where has the beauty gone? What is the state of the body, if a bath is not taken for three days? The stink is abominable. Look at the senile woman aged 85 who is sitti ng at the corner with rotten eyes, shrunken cheeks and ski n . Where is the beauty in thi s seni le wrinkled state? Analyse the parts of a woman, realise their true nature and abandon total ly. If you begin to analyse this body into fl esh, blood, bone, your desire towards females will become inimical to you in a short time. Love and attachment for a woman destroy Buddh i , M ukti and virtuous deeds and cause contraction of heart. If the lust for women, which is the source of all enjoyments ceases, then all worldly bondage which has i ts substratum in the mind will ceas e. E ven the most viru lent of poisons is no poison; but the sensual objects are truly so; the former defiles one body only whereas the latter adulterates many bodies in successive rebirths. You are the sporti ng lap-dog of the caprice of a woman. You are a sl ave of desires, emotions and passions. When are you going to rise up from this miserable state? Those persons who, in spite of the knowled ge of the non-existence of happiness both in the past and the present in the baneful objects of the world, do yet entangle themsel ves i n them with their thoughts clinging to them, deserve the appellation of an ass, if not a worse one. If you do not posse ss Viveka, i f you do not try your best for sal vation, if you spend your l ifetime in eati ng, drinking and sleeping, you are a biped animal. I should say, you are worse than an animal . Because,
9
OBJECT OF YOGA
you will have to learn some lessons from the animals which possess self-restraint. There are scorpion-sti ngs on one side. Flies, bugs, mosquitoes and thorns trouble you from one corner. Sun scorches you i n summer; cold stings i n winter. Influenza, plague, appendicitis, pyorrhoea, smallpox and other diseases are ready to devour you. Fear, del usion, grief, sorrow and misery kill you every moment. Desires, anger, jealousy, worries, anxieties and cares torment you every second. Deaths of persons whom you loved most give you severe shock. Yet, you wil l never renounce these momentary pleasures of senses of this unreal, mundane existence. Such is the decepti ve depth of sensual enj oyment. You wi ll speak through Ahankara: "Oh, I am a powerful man. I am very i ntel l igent. I can do anything. There is no Isvara." You will twist your glued moustache and when the scorpion stings you sharp, you will call out bitterly : "0 Narayana, help me." If the hair becomes grey, you will invent various dyes to blacken it. You w i l l invent 'monkey-gland grafting' for rej uvenation. If the teeth have fallen, you will put on a new fal se dental set. You will never l eave the 'will to live and enjoy.' Miserable wrecks i ndeed ! Hopeless specimens ! ·
Think deeply. Cogitate. Reflect. Have constant Satsanga. Do selfless service, Nishkama Yaj na. Develop the four means of qualifications, Sadhana Chatushtaya. Study the Gita, the Brahma Sutras, the twel ve classical Upanishads, the Yoga-Vasishtha and the Viveka Chudamani of Sri Sankara. Remove your doubts by approaching learned Sannyasi ns. Have recourse to Sravana, . Manana, Nididhyasana. Remove the veil of ignorance and rest i n Satchidananda · state. "Atma va are drashtavyah shrotavyo mantavyo nididhyasitavyah. The Self mus� be seen, heard, thought upon and deeply pondered over."-Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, IV-5 . Note:
Lust is a potent force, very difficult to be got rid of. So, I have to place. this mental picture before the minds of the vast majority. Really, a woman should be adored as Mother or Sakti. She is the Creatrix, Generatrix and Nourisher of the universe. She must be revered. In India, Religion is preserved and maintained only through the devotional element of women. Devotion is a fundamental characteristic of Hindu women. Hate lust, but not women.
10
PRACTICE OF YOGA
The Goal of Life Atman, our real Self, is . B rahman. It is pure, i ndivisible, omnipresent, omnipotent, pure, perfect. It is Existence, Knowledge and B l i ss Absolu te. It is timeless, spaceless, causeless, free and self-luminous. I n the movement of nature, the Self represents itself variously. In the physical consciousness, Atman becomes the material Being, Annamaya Purusha. In the vital consciousness, It becomes the Pranamaya Purusha. I n the mental consciousness, It becomes the -Manomaya Purusha. I n the supramental consciousness which i s dominated b y the Truth, It becomes the Vij nanamaya Purusha. I n the consciousness of u n iversal beatitude, It becomes the all-bl issful , all-enjoying Anandamaya Purusha. In the conscious n ess· proper to the divine Self-awareness, It becomes the all conscious Soul, Source and Lord of the universe, Chaitanya Purusha. I n the consciousness proper to the state of pure, divine existence, It is S at Purusha. Man can have any one or all of these experiences, as essential l y he is Divine. ·
God-realisation Raja Janaka realised God i n the twinkling of an eye. Raja KhatVanga real ised with i n a Muhurta. Raja Parikshit reali sed with i n a week. Swami Rama Tirtha realised within two years. Realisation is not at al i difficult. It is as easy as anything. It is even easier than learning logic or mathematics. Once you have disciplined the mind and fixed it on the Lakshya, it will simply remain fixed without any trouble. Mind is a good fel low. It depends upon the way in which you train him. He is quite a willi ng and obedient servant. There is nothing so pleasant as meditation . It is all A nanda. It is all Joy. It is all happiness. You must make a firm start. That is what is wanted. Draw inspiration from the l i ves of Mahatmas l ike Sri Aurobindo, Sri Ramana Maharshi, or Siddharudha Swamij i . There are many earnest Sadhakas also, all educated and noble Sannyasins. Move with them. C lear your doubts. Get the method. Have intellectual conviction, intellectual grasp of Atman, Brahman. Practise Nididhyasana. March courageously with Sraddha banner, Vairagya coat-of-arms and Pranava Omkara band, in the Brahmic field of Nididhyasana. You will get sanguine victory in the attainment of Brahma Sakshatkara. Make effort. Awake, arise, and stop not til l the goal is reached. You can realise within two or three years, if you have earnestness and sincerity.
CHAPTER TWO
FOU NDATION OF YOGA Necessity for a Guru Tadviddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya; Upadekskhyanti te jnanam jnaninastattva darshinah.
"Learn thou this by discipleship, by i nvestigation and by service. The w ise, the seers of the essence of things, will i nstruct thee in wisdom." ---G ita, IV-34. Hear the words of the Yoga-Vasishtha: "To the real enquirer after knowledge, the Guru's words will enable him to know his own Self. An Acharya's grace, if it becomes en rapport with his disciple, will of itself i n a mysterious manner enable the discip le to perceive directly the Brahmic principle · within, though i t is impos sible for the Guru to point out Brahman as this or that or for the disciple to understand how It i s prior to his direct perception. It is indeed very rare to attai n that state without the hel p of a Guru and spiritual books. Should all the three combine, · viz., an . Acharya, Jnana-Sastras and a true disciple, then it is certain that the seat beyond all · bondage wil l be attained." It is the Guru who removes the Avarana or vei l of ignorance. Before you approach the Guru, you should possess the devotion to Guru, you ought to have removed Mala or dirt by Nishkama Karma Yoga and the practice of Yama and Niyama, and Vikshepa or distraction by Upasana and Yoga. You ought to be established i n mental truth and mental Brahmacharya. You should b e free from Jiva-Bhavana. Then the Guru will start with Sravana and i nstruct you with the mystery of 'Tat Tvam Asi ' Mahavakya. It must be remembered, however, that Guru can give you Paroksha Jnana, can remove your doubts and your own sincere individual effort i s indispensably requi site. Do not b e under the false �mpression that by bri nging five pots of water from the Ganga, Mukti can be gained through the grace of Guru. In one sense, no Guru, no I svara can give M ukti . It is l eft to your own effort. The Sastras show the way, the Guru points out the face of Brahman and jt is your effort to become personal l y acquainted with Brahman through constant Nididhyasana. Do not make this serious mistake that by keeping quiet, M ukti w i l l come to you through Guru's grace, by sham
12
·
PRACTICE OF YOGA
service. You must taste Sat-Chit-Ananda yourself through your Di vya Drishti : "Pasyanti jnana chakshusah" (Gita, XV-10) . The Sastras prescribe S ravana, Manana and Nididhyasana. If one can gain Mukti by Sravaria alone from the mouth of the Guru, then it is superfl uous to add Manana and Nididhyasana. Manana and Nididhyasana are left for the aspirant for his own exertion. Uddharedatmana-atmanam,
Naatmanam a vasadayet.
"One should raise the lower self by the Higher Self; one should not depress the sel f." -Gita, VI-5. Hearken carefu l l y to the fol lowi ng in the Yoga-Vasishtha, to support the above view: "Each should cognise It withi n himself through his own Jnana, with the aid of an Acharya and an understanding of the true significance of the Srutis."
Selection of Aspirants You can do nothing i n the case of a man whose goal is money, whose thoughts are concentrated in woman or pleasure. You can do nothi ng, nothing at all, in the instance of a man in whom the Vishaya-Samskaras are predominant and powerful, in whom there is Bahirmukha-Vritti and in whom the ideal is Kama-Krodha-Parayana, the soul refuge in l ust and wrath (Gita, XVI- 1 2) . You can do nothi ng in the case of a man who is perfectly satisfied with the shallow pleasures of this petty, poor mundane existence. If you hand over a copy of the Avadhuta Gita of Sri Dattatreya or a copy of Vivekachudamani by Sri Sankara, which contain gems of i ncalculable value, to a young man of 25 years, who has j ust returned from England with British qualifications, who has· just married a young lady in whom the Vasanas are fil l i ng up the system with a tremendous force, he will·simply throw the book i nto the waste paper basket. It w i l l never interest him. His thoughts are absorbed i n Anatmic objects. His mental current is running i n a different direction. Jnana-Sastras like the Yoga Vasishtha, the Gita, the Upanishads, etc. , are useless for this man. But if you give the same book to the same man after 20 years, when he is suffering from chronic consumption, when he has lost his wife and the only one son, doubtless he will be much interested. You can i nfluence a man whose angle of vi sion has been changed entire l y. (I) Vedanta S amskaras (the i mpressions caused by heari ng and study of Vedantic books), (2) A ntarmukha-Vritti (when the m i nd has a tendency towards
FOUNDATION OF YOGA
introspection and i ntrovision), and (3) Moksha-Parayanata or resort to the objective of l iberation alone, are the three i mportant qualifications for an aspirant of Brahma-Jnana. You can quite easi ly influence a man who possesses these three qualifications, as his mind is receptive to know.
Faith in Scriptures Brahman is to be l earnt through the Sruti s ; i ndependent thinking and reason i n g have nothi ng to do with it. Badarayana seeks shelter a l w ays in the letter of the Vedas. Srutis are infalli ble and authoritative. Sruti Pramana . is superior to percepti o n . Perception leads to errors. Perception of a j ar i s real ly perception o f j ar minus the rest o f t h e world. The j ar and the rest of the world are directly presented before the m i nd . Then o n l y perception i s possible. H o w c a n the atomic mind see the rest of the world? It is i mposs i ble. Therefore perception i s not s o authori tati ve and rel i able a s S rutis. You see a b l ue colour in Akasa. It i s a false attri bution, Adhyasa. You cannot depend on the Pramana of perception. Srutis are revelations. They are the direct superi ntuitive experiences of Rishis or sages. Srutis give an accurate knowledge of B rahman . Srutis remove your Pramanagata-S andeha, doubt about the validity of the Vedantic texts. God or B rahman is Ati n driya, beyond the reach of the senses; Avang-mano-gochara, beyond the reach of mind and speech . Sruti is the basis of Nididhyasana. The B rah makara Vritti is generated from the heari ng of the Mahavakyas: 'Tat Tvam Asi ', 'Aham Brahma Asmi' of the Srutis. Joana Yoga is imposs i ble without S ravana and Manana. Some learned fools, wise foo ls who pose to possess reason, while they real l y mistake their fancies a n d preferences for reason , decl are that they w i l l accept only that portion of the S r utis, which appeals to reason . They w i l l never get out of this Samsara-Chakra . Independent reasoning a n d thinking alone w i l l n o t d o i n the spiritual path . Faith is i n di spensably requisi te .
Brahmacharya
*
Saumya ! Spiritual darlings, nectar's sons, children of Immortali ty ! Today my heart i s fil led with exuberant joy. I rej oi ce agai n and agai n amidst you all. I have got now a rare and splendid opportunity to serve you al l . 0
*A lecture delivered in Dharma Lakhimpur-Kheri on 9.12.1932.
Sabha
High
School,
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PRACTICE OF YOGA
Today I want to address you on a most i mportant subject, a vital subject, viz., Brahmacharya. Brahmacharya is purity in thought, word and deed. B rahmacharya is celibacy, continence. Brahmacharya includes the control · of not only the sex or reproducti ve organ but al so all the other organs. This is the defi nition of Brahmacharya i n a broad sense of the term. B rahmacharya i ncludes character-building or right moulding of character. Brahmacharya is a �ine qua non, most important. It is a great desideratum, a thing mostly desired. It is of vital i mportance. They say that knowledge is power. But I assert boldly with great assurance and practical experience that character is power and that character is far superior to even knowledge. Everyone of you should endeavour your level best to mould your character propedy. Your whole life and the success in life entirely depends upon the formation of your character. All the great persons i n this world have achieved their greatness through . character, and character alone. The bri l liant l um inaries of the world have won their l aurels of fame, reputation and honour through character alone. God is Rasa or essence. "Rasa vai sah", Rasa is Virya. You can get eternal bliss by the attainment of Rasa,- "Rasam hi eva ayam labdhva anandi bhavati. " Virya or the vital force is attained by your being established i n B rahmacharya, and vice versa. Brahmacharya is the Achara or conduct by which you attain or reach Brahman (God, Existence) and so it is said: "Acharah prathamo dharmah-The first and the foremost duty o_f a Brahmachari is the attain ment of Achara." It is on the mere attainment or establ i shment of Achara, that you may be able to attain ful l age, eternal happiness, fame and manl i ness. You can attain ful l age even if you are devoid � f all other qualities, by the establ ishment of Achara only. Achara is character-bui lding. You m ust have good character. Otherwise you w i l l lose your Brahmacharya or Virya, the vital energy, and thereby attain early death . Srutis declare ful l l i fe of one hundred years for a man. Thi s you can attain by the establishment of Brahmacharya only. You have to remember one thing more: "The secrets of longevity may be based chiefly upon discretion i n the choice of food and drink, temperance, sobriety, chastity and a hopeful optim i stic oli'tlook on l i fe and so neither gluttons, drunkards, the idle, nor dissipated can reasonably hope to attain ful l age." -
FOUNDATION OF YOGA
. And so India's first l aw-giver, Manu, says that the students, as long as they are i n school - life, must get into the habit of controlling thetr sense-organs by giving up dri n k, meat, scents, garlands, l iquor and sex, hot things, and al l acts of violence, oil, col l yrium, the use of s hoes, umbrellas, etc., gambling, gossips, lies, looki ng at females, h itting at each other, and sleeping with others. The student should never, not even i n dream try to let go his Virya. If he does it w i l l ingly or knowingly, he fai l s i n his duty. It is death to him. It is a sin. He is a fal len victim . If it so happens in dream, he shoul d pray to God and thereby establish h i mself i n the attai nment of Virya. Through Brahrnacharya only you can get · the physical , mental and the spiritual advancements i n life. You should, with full heart and devotion, pray to God. The fol l owing are the eight Angas, l im bs of Brahmacharya. They are eight kinds of breaks so to say in the Akhanda or unbroken current of Brahmacharya practice. You must avoid these eight interruptions with great · care, sincere exertion and vigi lant circumspection.
I . Darsana-looking at a girl or woman with a lustful heart.
Sparsana-touching her. Keli-playi ng with her. Kirtana-praisi ng her qualities to one's friends. Guhya-Bhashana-talking to her i n private. Sankalpa-thi n ki ng or remembering her always. Adhyavasaya-strong desire to have a carnal knowledge with her. * 8. Kriya N ivritti-sexual e nj oyment.
2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
A Jnani or knower of Brahman who is established i n his own Svarupa is the only · real Brahmachari of the first class type or superior order. Even a householder who copulates with his Dharmapatni on Ritu days only for the sake of continuing the progeny, and keeping up the li neage, is also rightly considered as a true Brahmachari, according to fam i l y ethics. My dear brothers, the vital energy, the Virya which supports your l i fe, which is the Prana of Pranas, which shines i n your sparkli ng eyes, which beams in your shining cheeks, is a great treasure for you. Remember this point wel l . It is the quintessence . of blood. One drop of semen is manufactured out of 40 drops of ·
*These rules also apply to women in relation to men.
·
16
PRACTICE OF YOGA
. blood. Mark here how valuable this fluid i s ! How precious this Virya i s ! Have you ful l y grasped the importance and value of this " vital essence of life? Virya is al l power. Virya is all money. Virya is God. Virya is S i ta. Virya is Radha. Virya is Durga. Virya is God in motion. Virya is dynamic wi l l . Virya is Atma-Bala (Soul-force). Virya is God's Vi bhuti . Gita says: "Paurusham Nrishu-I am the seed or viri l i ty i n men ." Virya is the essence of life, thought, i nte l l i gence and consciousness. When once l ost, it can never be recouped in your l ifeti me by your taki ng any amount of almonds, nervine tonics, milk, cream, cheese or Chyavana-Prasha or Makaradhvaja. This fluid, when preserved carefu l l y, serves as a master-key for you, to open the door of the real ms of God ur elysian bl iss and for al l sorts of higher achie v ements i n l ife. Bad memory, premature old age, impotence, various sorts of eye-diseases and various nervous di seases are attri butable to heavy loss of this vital fl uid. It is greatly shocking indeed to see many of our youths walking with tottering steps, with pale bloodless faces, owi ng to loss of this vital fluid, instead of jumping hi ther and thi ther with agi le, nimble steps with vigour and vitality like the squirrel . Preserve this vital flu i d very, very carefu l l y, my dear brothers. Become an Urdhvaretas Yogi through purity in thought, word and deed. An Urdhvaretas is one i n whom the semi nal energy flows upwards the brai n and is stored up as Ojas Sakti which is used for contemplative purposes i n the practice of meditation In an Urdhvaretas the semi nal energy is transmuted . into spi ri tual energy, Ojas. The process of transmutation is termed as ' sex-subl i mation. ' An Urdhvaretas w i l l have no wet-dreams. The Urdhvaretas Yogi not only converts the semen into Ojas but checks through his Yogic power, through purity in thought, word and deed, the very formation of semen by the secretory cell s of the testes or seeds. This i s a great secret. Allopaths believe that even in Urdhvaretas celi bates the formation of semen goes on i ncessantly and that the fl uid is reabsorbed in the blood. This is a mi stake. They do not understand the i nner Yogic secrets and mysteries . They are i n the dark. Their vision concerns with the gross things of the universe. The Yogi penetrates i nto the subtle, hidden nature of thi ngs through Yogic vision or Yogic Chakshus (inner eye of wisdom). The Yogi gets control over the astral nature of semen and thereby prevents the formation of the very fl uid
FOUNDATION OF YOGA
17
itsel f. The semen comes out of the very marrow that lies concealed inside the bones. It is found in a subtle state in all the cells of the body. Brahmacharya is of two ki nds, viz., physical and mental . Physical Brahmacharya is control of body. The mental Brahmacharya is control of evil thoughts. In mental B rahmacharya no bad thoughts w i l l enter the mind. The mental Brahmacharya i s a l i ttle more difficult than the physical Brahmacharya; but through si ncere exertion, you can be wel l-establ i shed 1 11 mental Brahmacharya. You mus keep up the idea of mental Brahmacharya before you. Then you wi l l realise it soo n . There i s no doubt of this. J apa, the practice of Asanas, Mudras, Pranayamas, Pratyahara, Dharana, Sarna, Dama, study of the Gita, Ramayana, and other scriptures, Sattvic food, Kirtana (singing the Lord's Name), keeping the mind ful l y occupied by sQme work or other, prayer, meditation, Vichara, avoidance of evil company, all wi l l go a long way in the attainment or establishment of Brahmacharya. I sh all give you a l ist of Sattvic arti cles of diet. Take m i l k,
fruits, rice, green gram, barley, wheat bread, al monds, sugar-candy. cream, cheese, butter, green vegetables, black-pepper, etc .
Give up onions and garlic. Onions and garlic are worse than meat. Give up meat, fish, l i quors and smoking. Meat can make a scientist but never a philosopher, a sage or a Sattvic person. Meat excites the passions. Give up mustard, oil, asafoetida, c h i l lies, highly seasoned di shes, hot curries, chutneys, tea, coffee, etc. Sirshasana and Sarvangasana w i l l help you a lot i n making you an Urdhvaretas. They are also termed as Vi parita-Karani Mudras. They are specially designed by our Rishis of yore. such as Gheranda, Matsyendra and Goraksha to make us Urdhvaretas Yogi ns. Amongst you all there may be a hidden Shakespeare or Kalidasa, a hi dden Wordsworth or Val miki, a potential saint, a saint Xavier, an Akhanda Brahmachari l i ke Bhishma, a Hanuman, a Lakshmana, a Swami Dayananda, a Visvamitra or a Vasishtha, a great scientist l i ke Dr. J.C. Bose, or a Faraday, a Yogi l i ke Jnana Deva or Gorakhnath, a philosopher like Socrates, Kant, Sankara or Ramanuja, a Bhakta l i ke Tulasi Das, Ram Das or Ekanath. Awaken, then, your hidden faculties, potential energies of all description through Brahmacharya, and attain God-consciousness
18
PRACTICE
OF YOGA
quickly and get over the miseries of this mundane l ife with its concomitant evils of birth, death, fear, sorrow, etc.
Lack of Brahmacharya Lack of Brahmacharya is a serious trouble. No spiritual progress is possi ble without the practice of celibacy. The semen is. a dynamic force. It should be converted i nto Ojas Sakti. Those who are very eager to have God-reali sation should observe unbroken celi bacy strictly. Householders break their vows of Brahmacharya owing to their weakness and hence they do not find any advancement i n the spiritual practices . They place two steps in the spiritual ladder and i mmediately fall down to the ground by lack of Brahmacharya. Wastage of semen brings nervous weakness, exhaustion and premature death. Sexual act destroys vigour of mind and body, annihilates memory, understanding and i ntellect, and retards spiritual progress. I need not mention much about the importance of Brahmacharya and the evils of lack of Brahmacharya, as I am always hammering you on this subject i n al l m y writings. Here also I will tell you some important methods by which one can preserve this semi nal power and convert i t into Ojas-Sakti. Observe the vow of Brahmacharya strictly. Let husband and wife understand and reali se the i mportance and glory of Brahmacharya. Remember the Brahmachari saints and draw inspiration. Fasting controls passion . It calms emotions. When you fast, do not al low . the mind to think of eatables and delici ous dishes. Avoid too much fasting. It will produce weakness. Dietetic adj ustment is of paramount i mportance. Take Sattvic food such as milk, wheat, green gram, etc. Give up hot curries, chutneys, liquors, meat, s moking, etc. Do not keep company with ladies. Do not look e ven at a picture of a lady. Do plenty of Japa. Practise concentration, Asana and Pranayama. Keep up your mind very busy in some useful work or i n Yogic practices. You will be able to control your passion if you strictly fol low the above instructions to the very letter. You can laugh at me if you do not succeed. B lessed is the man who has controlled his passion, for he will have God-real i sation q uickly. ·
Mitahara Mi tahara is moderation i n food and drink. Heavy food leads to Tamasic state and i nduces sleep only. A slight overloading i n the stomach will upset meditation. The mind has direct connection with the gastric nerves of the stomach . You will feel great
19
FOUNDATION OF YOGA
uneasiness i n the Asana with a heavy stomach. You w i l l get drowsiness also. In the Gi ta you w i l l fi nd: Natyasnatastu Yogoasti na chaikantamanasnatah; Na chatisvapnasilasya jagrato naiva cha Arjuna.
"Verily Yoga i s not for him who eateth too . much, w ho abstaineth to excess, who is too much addicted to sleep, or even to wakefu l ness, 0 Arj una." (VI- 1 6) Yuktaharaviharasya yuktacheshtasya karmasu; Yuktasvapnavabodhasya yogo b.havati duhkhaha.
"Yoga ki l leth out all pain for h i m who is regu lated i n eating and amusement, regul ated in performing actions, regulated in sleeping ' and waking." (VI- 1 7) .
Mitahara consists i n the fi l ling up of half of the stomach w ith solid food, a quarter with water and the rest free for expansion of gas. Half a seer of m i l k with some rice and sugar i s an ideal food, Yogi c menu, absolutely S attvic in the daytime. Take half a seer of milk only at bedtime. This will do beautifully well for Sadhana. Night meal s must be very, very l ight. There is a popular misapprehension that a l arge quantity of food is necessary for health and strength. Much depends upon the power of assi milation and absorption. Generally most of the food in the vast maj ority of persons passes away u ndigested along w ith the faeces. There is a habit to load the stomach in a l arge number of persons. After all, man wants very l i ttle on thi s earth. M i l k, almonds, ghee, curd, etc., are not at all necessary for growth, health and strength. Rich people run after these stuffs blindly and are slaves of cravi ngs. Look at the hardy peasants of 83 i n Maharashtra and Punjab who l ive o n bread and a l i ttle b i t of chutney or Dhal . They do not take ghee, m i l k or curd. Foolish doctors make a lot of fuss about calorie, food value of different stuffs, vitami n theory, etc. It is all mental i m agination. It is more Pratibhasika than real . If you do not take milk and ghee, you will have to take a large quantity of bread and Dhal. Dhal i s much more nutritious than milk. It i s very, very substantial. As milk contains a large quantity of proteins, i t can supply n utrition in lesser bulk. Whereas i n the case of bread, you will have to take a larger number. If you take 2 breads with milk and ghee, you w i l l have t o take 5 o r 6 breads with 4 spoonfuls o f Dhal. That is all . The addition of 4 breads more will substitute for milk and ghee. It is simply a pure mental weakness to go i n for milk and ghee. You
20
PRACTICE OF YOGA
should not develop any habit at al l . Habit means slavery. Habit means weak wi l l , sl ave mentality. People of slave mentality are absol utely unfit for freedom, for l iberation. Tongue is your greatest enemy. It is a great friend of the reproducti ve sense. Because both are born from the same parent, water Ta nmatra. Control of tongue means control of all the senses. That is the secret. Once an aspirant had been to Lord Siva for instruction. Lord Siva did not say a word. He caught hold of the tongue firmly with one hand and the reproductive organ with the other hand and showed these two senses to the aspirant. The aspirant understood the si lent instructions of Lord Siva and control led these two organs perfectly. Thi s led him to the control of al l the other senses and thereby he attained control of mind, internal peace and final Moksha.
Give up Salt Salt is a great enemy. It excites emotions and passions. Sandilya Rishi, in Yogatattva Upani shad, advises us to give up salt. Those who practise Khechari Mudra are not allowed to take salt. They are not allowed even to l i ve near seashore as the sea-breeze will affect the fi ne mucous membrane of the throat. S uch is the disastrous i nfluence of salt. S nake-bite and scorpion-sting will have no influence on a man who has given up salt. If you consult an allopathic doctor on the subject of 'giving up salt' he will unnecessari ly alarm you. He is a foolish man. He has no idea of Yogic pri nciples and practices. He will bring forth the theory of gastric digestion . He w i l l say: "Salt enters i nto the composition of hydrochloric acid of the gastric juice of the stomach and so if you give up salt, you wi l l get dyspepsia." Absol ute nonsense . Mahatma Gandhij i gave up salt for many years. Yogananda, 'a Bengali Sannyasi n of Lucknow, left salt for several years. Both were heal thy and strong. There are innumerable i nstances. I have myself put some persons under saltless diet. They were all doi ng well . Disconti nuation of salt helps a Jot i n meditation. I t keeps the nerves and mind coo l . You m ay suffer a bit i n the beginni ng for a month on account of the old habit. Afterwards you wil l be all right. You may take vegetables, Dhal and other things without salt. You w i l i relish them nicely after some time. Those who have given up salt can add sugar to their bread. This is a useful digression .
Renunciation-Its Service to Brahma-j nana As to qualification for renunciation, a man should have attained
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FOUNDATION OF YOGA
perfect purity of mind, stability of i ntel lect, discri mination between nature and spirit, disgust towards worldly pleasures of all kinds, Shad-Sampatti (six kinds of moral riches), and keen desire for l i beration. U nless a man has attained these qualifications, renunciation of acti ve duties of life does not produce the desirable effect. There is, however, one exception. If a man has reached seventy-five years of his age, he is allowed to renounce the world notwithstanding the want of these qualifications. But even there, his old age is a sufficient guarantee of his never fall i ng a prey to the pleasures of the senses. He may pass his ending days peacefully in contemplation and obtain a new life of better ethical development. For the rest of the world the Vedic rel igion provides a k i nd of i nward renunciation which is of direct service to gnosis. The first ki nd of renunciation, which consists in abandoning al l active duties and pleasures of the senses, is subdivided i nto two · cl asses: ( I ) Vi vidisha Sannyasa, or renunciation with the i ntention of knowing Brahman, (2) Vidvat Sannyasa, or renunciation of the knower of Brahman. The second kind of renunciation is open to al l . When a man has real i sed his identity with Brahman, he is entitled to renounce the world not in pursuance of Vedic inj unction, but in conformity with the Absolute Nature of the Self. Some are of opi nion that sins which prevent the rise of knowledge are of two kinds: ( I ) those which can be destroyed by the performance of holy duties and (2) those which can be dispe lled by their renunciation. Thus both are necessary for attaining purity of mind. It must be assured here that the purity of mind which precedes renunciation ought to be of a different . nature, because ardent love of sensual pleasures, di shonesty and such other vices which are condemned by the science of ethics, lose their sovereignty over the migrating ego in consequence of the destruction of the latent i mpressions of evil , which form, as it were, a second nature, by the honest and straightforward performance of the active duties of life. ·
Tranquil l ity, recognition of our i nnate freedom, self-sacrifice, and such other superior virtues crre the results of renunciation. Thus both action and i naction in their accurate sense are serviceable to gnosis, through the same channel, purity of m ind. The uphol ders of this view see the utmost necessity of renunciation and consequently presume that Raj a Janaka, and others who have been regarded as l iberated in the l ife of perpetual
22
PRACTICE OF YOGA
activ i ty, ought to have renounced the world i n some antecedent life . Others, however, h o l d that ren unciation is useful t o gnosis, not because it produces purity of rnind essential for the rise of knowledge, but because it is one of the essential qualifications of an aspirer for absolution enunciated by the word Uparati (absolute cal m ) in the Vedic text prescribi ng the qualifications of the contemplator of Brahman. A third view i s that no kind of secret merit, which the M imamsakas call Apurva, either in the form of purity of m i nd or calmness, results from ren unciation. Perfect knowledge requires incessant hearing, consideration and contemplation, which can only be secured in the fourth stage of life.
Seclusion for Three Years Ekamith l i ved in the world with wife and children, practised devotional Yoga and attained Sayujya. Raj a Janaka ruled over Mithila and attained J nana amidst royal activities. Swami Vidyaranya, the author of the reputed Panchadasi, was the Divan of Vijayanagaram. He worked as Minister of the State, practised meditation, and reali sed God by remaining in the world. The central teaching of the Gita is to real ise i n and through the world. The obstacles to Yoga do not come from outside, but from with i n . If you have succeeded in perfect Pratyahara, · you . can remain wherever you l i ke . Tl;lis is all doubtless true. B ut just hear the other part of the story. Do not be one-sided. Look to the other side of the shield. This is plausi ble,. sounds all right, but not feasible i n the vast majority. It is easier said than done. Sri Aurobindo preached real isation amidst activity, but he shut h i mself i n a closed room for years. How many Janakas, Ekanaths and Vidyaranyas you have . had ! These people were really Yoga-Bhrashtas. That i s the reason why they were able to practise meditation i n the world. It i s absolutely impossible for the vast majority. To serve God and mammon at the same time is extre mely difficult. M i nd can take up only one thi ng.- Lord Jesus was missing for e ighteen years. Lord Buddha went to secl usion for eight years i n Uruvala forest, the modern Buddha Gaya. Swami Rama Tirtha was a recl use in Brahmapuri for two years. Many had taken up to secl usion during Sadhana period. Gautama Rishi writes in his Nyaya Sutras that a cave i n mountain, sandy bed near river-side and mountai nsi de are
FOUNDATION OF YOGA
23
all very favourable for meditation . You can make a begin n i ng i n the world but when you have advanced, you must shift to suitable places with mountain sceneries, seaside, places along the banks of beautiful river's like Narmada or Ganga. They · induce a benign, elevating i nfluence. In the world, the environments are quite unfavourable. They excite, ignite and kindle the nerves, Samskaras, desires and the senses: Hear the words of S vetasvatara Upanishad: "At a level place, free from pebbles, fire and gravel, pleasant to the mind by its sounds, water and bowers, not pai nful ' to the eye and repairing to a cave, protected from the w ind, Iet a person apply his mind to God." Retiring i nto a forest is l ike entering a University for execution of higher college studies. Realise, and distribute knowledge to the world. This is real Jnana Yajna. This is the best of all helps. If you can remove Avidya, the root cause of h uman sufferings, if you can change the psychology of fi fty persons, that is the real service you can render to the country. Building hospitals, running Kshetras are · a l l social scavengering. You cannot eradicate the evil . You shift it from one corner to another just as you shift the pain and swelling in gout from ankle to knee.
Sadhana Chatushtaya FOUR MEANS OF SALVATION An aspi rant should have these four qualifications, viz., Viveka, Vairagya, Shat-Sarripatti and M umukshutva. The discriminating power between Atman (Self) and A natman (not-self), Sat (real) and Asat (unreal ) , Nitya (eternal) and A nitya (non-eternal ), changing and unc hanging, and Drik (subject) and Drishya (object), i s termed Viveka. Viveka i s a result of purity of heart (Chitta-Suddhi) through Nishkama Karma, disinterested works. Vairagya is i ndifference to the enj oy ments of objects both i n . this world and the h igher. What is wanted is Viveka Purvaka-Vairagya (Vairagya as the resultant product of Viveka) which is: "Brahma satyam jagat mithya, Jivo brahma e va na aparah. "
"Brahman i s real , the world is phenomenal, the Jiva is identical with Brahman and not different." This kind of Vairagya alone w i l l really help a Sadhaka.
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PRACTICE OF YOGA
'' Vairagyasya phalam bodham Bodhasya uparatih phalam. "
''The fru it of this real Vairagya is Brahma-Jnana; and the fruit of this knowledge 1 s extreme satisfaction, a state of remaini ng ful l ( Pari purna)." There is entire destruction of sense desires. There is no remembrance of past sensual i ndulgence. There are four ki nds of Vairagya: I . Mridu (mild), 2. Madhyama ( medi um), 3 . Adhimatra (intense) and 4. Para (highest). Para-Vairagya IS that dispassion which comes after Brahma-Jnana. All the fol lowing six virtues (Shat-Sampat) are taken collectively as one qual ification:( a ) Sanw-quiescence, cal mness of mind. This refers to control of mind. ( b ) Danw-self-restraint. This refers to control of senses. (c ) Up a rati satiety (d) Titiksha-power of endurance, constant balance of mind duri ng pleasure, pain, heat and cold, etc. (e) Sraddha-faith in the scriptures and in Guru's words. (f) Samadhana-balanced state of mind, self-settledness and power of concentration. The fourth qualification, Mumukshutva, is the intense longi ng which one develops for liberation. -
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CHAPTER THREE
ETHICAL CULTURE Lead a Moral Life The Atman i s the basis for everythi ng. There i s an intimate relation between Atman and w i l l . Wil l is only Atman or God i n motion o r manifestation. No spiritual o r wil l culture is . possible without ethical culture. Ethical culture wil l result in ethical perfection . An ethical man is more powerful than an i ntel lectual man. Ethical culture brings in various sorts of Siddhis. If you study the Yoga-Sutras of Patanj ali Maharshi, you will fi nd a clear description of the powers which mariifest by the observance of Yama or the practice of Ahi msa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya and Aparigraha. Yama is the fi rst step in Raja Yoga. This is the very foundation of Yoga. A phil osopher need not necessaril y be a moral or ethical man; but a spiri tual man m ust necessarily be moral . Morality goes hand in hand with spirituality. Morality coexists with spirituality. The three kinds of Tapas (austerity) viz., physical, verbal and mental that are pres. 'ribed in the seventeenth chapter of the Gita, the practice of Yama in Raja Yoga, the noble eightfold path of the Buddhists-are all best calculated to develop the moral side of man. Sadachara or right conduct aims at mak i ng a man moral, so that he may be a Uttama Adhi kari for the reception of Atma-Jnana, the supreme Tattva, or Self-reali sation. You should always try your level best to speak truth at al l costs. You may lose your i ncome i n the begin n ing. B u t i n the lof!g run you w i l l become v i ctorious. You w i l l reali se the truth of the Upanishads: "Satyameva Jayate na an ri tam Truth alone tri umphs, but not falsehood." Even a lawyer who speaks truth in ·courts, who does not coach up false witnesses, rnay lose his practice in the beginni ng, but later on he wil l be honoured by the judges and the clients. Thousands of cases w i l l flock to him. He will have to make some sacrifice i n the beginning. Lawyers general ly complai n : "What can we do? Our profession is such. We must tell lies. Otherwise we will lose our cases." These are all false excuses. There was an advocate in the Uttar Pradesh . He was a mental_ Sannyasin, practising law. He was a friend and benefactor -
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PRACTICE OF YOGA
of Sannyasins and the public. He never coached false witnesses. He never took up criminal cases and yet he was the leader of the bar and was much revered by the judges, cl ients and hi s colleagues. He was a rich man, too. 0 my friends, barristers and advocates ! Wi l l you follow the noble example of the advocate · referred to above? Be truthfu l . You will attain peace, wealth and everyth ing. Do not kill your soul (Atmahatya) in earning money by unlawful means in order to have a comfortable l i ving and to please your wife. Life i n this world is evanescent, l i ke a bubble. Aspire to become di vine. S atya i s the most i mportant item if you · want to be moral . The various formulae : "Ahimsa Paramo Dharmah-Non i nj ur ing is the hi ghest of all virtues; Satyam vada-Speak the truth; Dharmam cham-Do virtuous actions; Love thy neighbour as thyself;''-all the e are best calculated to develop the moral aspect of a human being. Morality is the basis for the real isation of Atmic unity or oneness of l ife or Advaitic feeling of sameness everywhere. Ethical culture prepares a man for Vedantic realisa tion of: "Sarvam khalvidam Brahma-AII indeed is Brahman." -
Aspirants make mi stakes nowadays in j umping to Dhyana and Samadhi all at once, as soon as they leave their houses, without having any ethical purification . The mind remains in the same condition although they have practised meditation for 1 5 years. They have the same hatred, desire, jealousy, idea of superiority, Dambha, egoi sm, etc. No meditation or Samadhi is possibl e without eth ical culture. Samadhi wi l l come by itself when one has ethical perfection. There are many occultists in foreign lands. They do not have any spiritual i mprovements, as they do not have moral or ethical culture.
Dharma and Adharma Dharma and Adharma (right and wrong) are relative terms. It is very difficult to defi ne them precisely. Sometimes even sages are bewildered i n findi ng out what is right and what is wrong in some special circumstances. Rishi Kanada, author of the Vaiseshi ka S utras, says: "That which brings Nisreyasa and Abhyudaya (supreme bliss and exaltati on) is Dharma. That which elevates you and bri ngs you nearer to God is right. That which brings you down and takes you away from God is wrong. That which is done in strict accordance with the i nj unctions of the Sastras is right and that which is done agai nst the i nj u nctions of Sastras is wrong. This
ETHICAL CULTURE
27
is one way of defi ni ng these terms. To work in accordance with the divine will is right; to work in opposition to the di vi ne w i l l i s wrong. It is very difficult to find out by the common run of man ki nd what exactly the di vine w i l l is i n certai n actions . That is the reason why wise sages decl are that people should resort to Sastras, learned Pundits and reali sed persons for consultation. A pure man who has done Nishkama Karma Yoga for several years and who i s doing worship of God for a long time can readily fi nd out the divine wi ll when he wants to do certain actions. He can hear the inner, shri l l , small voice. Ordi nary people cannot properly hear this divine voice from withi n. They may make m istake in taki ng the voice of the i mpure mind for the divine voice . The lower instincti ve mind wi l l delude them. That work wh ich gi ves elevation, joy and peace to the mind i s right; that which brings depression, pain and restlessness to the mi nd is wrong. This i s an easy way to find out right and wrong. Selfishness clouds understanding. Therefore, if a man has got even a ti nge of selfishness, he cannot detect what is right and wrong. A pure, subtle, sharp intellect is needed for this purpose. You wil l find in the Gita: "That which knoweth energy and abstinence, what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, fear and fearlessness, bondage and li beration, that reason is pure (Sattvic). That by which one wrongly understandeth right and wrong and also what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, that reason is passionate (Rajasic). That which, enwrapped in darkness; thinketh the wrong to be the right and seeth all things subverted, that reason is of darkness (Tamasic)." Various other defi nitions are given by wise men to help the students in the path of righteousness. In the Bible we are asked to do unto others i n the same way as we wish others do unto us. Thi s is a very good maxim. The gist of Sadachara is here. If one practi ses this very carefully, he will not commit any wrong act. If one is wel l-establ i shed in Ahi msa, in thought, word and deed, he can never do any wrong. That is the reason why Patanjali Maharshi has given a great promi nence to Ahimsa. Ahi msa comes first in the practice of Yama. To give pleasure to others is right. To spread mi sery and pai n to others is wrong. One can fol low this in his daily conduct towards others and can evol ve i n his spiritual path. Do not perform any act that brings to you shame and fear. You wi I I be quite safe if you follow this rule. Stick to any rule that
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PRACTICE OF YOGA
appeal s to your reason and conscience and fol l ow it with faith and attention . You w i l l evol ve and reach the abode of eternal happiness. Now I shal l tell you another important point. I have already poi nted out that right and wrong are relative terms. They vary according to time, special circumstances, Varna (caste) and Ashrama (stage). Moral ity is a changing, relative term. That passionate man who molests his legal ly married wife frequently to gratify his passion is more i mmoral than a man who visits the house of a woman of i ll-fame once i n a year. That man who dwells constantly on i m moral thoughts is the most immoral man. Do you clearly see the subtle difference now? To kill an enemy i s right for a Kshatriya ki ng. A Brahmin o r a Sannyasin should practise strict forbearance and forgiveness. To speak an untruth, for saving the life of a Mahatma or one's Guru who has been unjustly charged by the officer of a state is right. Untruth has become a truth in this particular case. To speak a truth which bri ngs harm to many is untruth only. To k i l l a dacoit who is committing murder on the wayfarers daily is only Ahimsa. Himsa becomes Ahi msa under certai n circumstances . You must think over and di scri mi nate on every poi nt. Discriminate between right and wrong and then do the right thi ng only. This w i l l help you in the achievement of ethical perfection.
Build Your Character A man may die, but his character remains. His thoughts remain. I t is the character that gives real force and power to man. Character is power. Without character the attainment of knowledge is i mpossible. That man who has no character is practically a dead man in this world. He is i gnored and despised by the community. If you want success i n l i fe, if you want to i nfluence others, if you want to get progress in the spiritual path, if you want to have God-reali sation, · you must possess an unblemished, spotless character. The qui ntessence of a man is his character. The character of a man survives or outlives him. Sri Sankara, B uddha, Jesus are remembered eve n now, because they had wonderful character. They i nfl uenced people and converted others through their force of character. Money is nothi ng before character. Character is a mighty soul-force. It is l i ke a sweet flower that wafts its fragrance far and wide. A man of noble traits and good character possesses a tremendous, magnetic personal i ty. Personal ity is character only. A
ETHICAL CULTURE
29
man may be a ski lful artist. He may be a clever songster. He may be a great poet. He may be a great scientist. If he has no character, he has no real position i n society. People w i l l spit at him. Character is a broad term. In a restricted sense it means moral character. When we say that Mr. Ram Narayan is a man of character, we mean that he .is strictly a moral man. In a broad sense, a man of character i s expected to be ki nd, merciful, truthful, generous, forgiving and tolerant. He is expected to possess all the Sattvic quali ties. He may be strictly moral. This is one of the great qualifications. B ut if he speaks del iberate lies, if he i s sel fish and greedy, if he hurts the fee l ings of others, then also he is called a man of bad character. A man who wants to develop his character must be an al l-round m,an . He should possess all the qual ities which are mentioned in the thirteenth and sixteenth chapters of the Gita. Then he is a perfect man . Then he is a man of perfect character. A man of perfect character should possess the followi ng virtues : humil ity, harmlessness, forgiveness, service of the teacher, puri ty, steadfastness, self-control, i ndifference to the objects of senses, absence of egoism, i nsight i nto the pain and evi l of birth, death, old age and sickness, fearlessness, cleanli ness of life, al ms-giving, study of scriptures, austerity, straightforwardness, renunciatiOn, peacefu l ness, compassion to l i vi ng bei ngs, uncovetousness, mildness, modesty, vigour, fortitude and absence of en vy, pride, crookedness and wrath. You sow an action and reap a habit. You sow a habit and reap a character. You sow a character and reap a destiny. The i mpressi ons of thoughts, feelings and actions are i mpressed in the subconscious mind, Chitta. Whatever you think and act are i ndel ibly i mpressed there. You may die, but .the impressions are there. It is these impressions that bring you back to this u n i verse. A rogue is not an eternal rogue. A prostitute is not an eternal prostitute. Put these people in the company of saints. They w i l l be newly mou lded and w i l l be ·t ransmuted into saints with virtuous qualities. Dacoit Ratnakar was changed i nto sage Val m i k i . Jagai and Madai who pelted stones at Nityananda, became his sincere devotees. Their mental i m ages, ideals and thoughts were changed. · Their habits were changed completely. It is i n the power of every man to change his bad character and thoughts. If good thoughts and good ideals are supplanted in the p lace of vicious thoughts and wrong fee li ngs, the man will grow in the path of virtues. A l iar
30
PRACTICE OF YOGA
will become a truthful man. A scoundrel will become a saintly man. The method of Prati paksha B havana or thi n king of the opposite quality can change the habits, qualities and character of the man. By a steady practice, one can get success. It will take some time. Think of courage and truth. You wil l become a courageous and truthful man. Fear and the habit of tel l i ng lies will vanish gradually. Think of contentment and Brahmacharya. Greed and l ust will vanish completely. This method is quite scientific. Generally ignorant people, who have no knowledge of the subconsc ious mind and Yogic method of changi ng the habits and character, think that they wil l have their old evil traits throughout their whole l i ves. This is a sad mistake. The character is the outcome of your thoughts , ideals and mental pictures. If you change your thoughts and. mental pictures, your character also will be changed. Have a fi rm conviction and fai th i n this statement. Here I shall give you ·a practice. Suppose you want to develop courage. I have already told you that the subconscious mind i s your wi l l ing servant and you m ust know how t o extract work from it. It wi l l establish new character, new ideals, new mental pictures and new habits in the mind. Now the first thing .is that you must have a strong desire to possess this virtue-courage. Then only the attainment is easy. The supply can come only if there is the demand. This is the law. If there is no desire i n· you for developing this qual ity, first try to create a desire. This desire you can create by thi nking ag ai n and again the immense advantages that you can get by the possession of this nob.!e quali ty. Side by side you will have to imagine the disadvantag�s of the quality, fear. When the intense desire has manifested, you will get help from will . Wi ll follows the desire, just as the dog follows the master. Feel that you actually possess thi s virtue. Mental ly repeat the words YOM COURAGE" several ti mes. Feel that you are in actual possession of it. I magi ne that you have got this virtue and try to express it in the daily actions and trying conditions. Have a clear-cut mental image of this virtue. Slowly this virtue will develop. Wait cool ly. Do not be di scouraged if you do not get success in the practice of a few · days. The force. of old wrong S amskara of timidity and fear is there. Eventual l y the new Samskara of courage wil l win the day. Al ways positive overcomes the negative. This is a l aw of nature. Have strong faith and confident expectation that you wi l l possess courage soon . Develop your attention i n this direction. You are
ETHICAL CULTURE
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bound to succeed i n a short time. Li kewise you can develop any good virtue or character. Building up of character is building up of habits. The changing of character is changing of habits. It can be changed at any moment through w i l l , interest, attention and faith. New, healthy, strong, virtuous habits w i l l replace old, morbid, abnormal, vicious habits. Yoga aims at changing the old habits. Habits of worldly nature can be changed into divine · virtuous habits through selfless service with the spirit of renunciation, devotion, prayer and Vichara. Deve lopment of other virtues such as friendship, mercy and the practice of the three Tapas (austerity) mentioned in the seventeenth chapter of the Gita wi ll pave a long way for the moulding of character. Here is another effective method for buil di ng up your charaCter. Rema in in the company of sages and sai nts. You w i l l be changed through thei r strong spiritual currents. Never compl ain : "I cannot get good Mahatmas in these days." This is your mistake only. Fol low me wi th faith and interest. I w i l l show you thousands of good Mahatmas. Gi ve up your audacity and obstinacy. Be humble and si ncere. Bu ild up your character properly. This wil l give you success in l i fe. Character is the mark of saintli ness. Remove the old evi l habits. Establish virtuous, healthy habits. Character wi ll help you to attai n the goal of l i fe . Character is your very being.
Control Evil Habits This is Kal i Yuga. This is the age of scientific di scoveries . Thi s is the age of new fashion and style. There i s modern civiJ isation. This is the age of aeroplanes, cinemas and radios . Dharma has become a decrepit. People are acting according to their whims and fancies. There is no check. Every man is a Guru. He does not want any re l igious instructions . Passion is swayi ng over everybody. Discri mination, right thi nking and Vichara have taken to their heel s. Eati ng, drinking and procreation are the goal of life. Moksha has become a non-entity and a visionary dream. Evil habits of all sorts have cropped up in all. A friend greets another friend not with the names of God: "Jai Sri Krishna or Jai Ramj i ," but with a cigarette or a peg of brandy. He says: "Come along Mr. Naidu ! Have a smoke. Have a drink of gin squash." Alcohol is such a devi l that if i t once enters the system of a man, it never leaves h i m and he becomes a confirmed drunkard. Even our Hindu ladies of big fam i l ies have taken to liquor and smoke. They take small doses to excite their passion i n
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PRACTICE O F YOGA
the beginning and develop the habit soon. Alcohol is a deadly poison that destroys the brai n-cells and nerves. Many nervous diseases crop up in a short time. It becomes very difficult to correct and bring round a drunkard. The habit becomes very strong. No amount of hypnotic suggestion can do any good. A drunkard is a wreck and a menace to society. The Temperance Association has not done much good to the country. One should be very carefu l in the beginning. He should avoid the company of drunkards. Then comes another evi l habit, smoki ng. Smokers bring a l ittle bit of philosophy and medical opinion in support of their evil habit. They say: "Smoking keeps bowel s free. I get a good motion in the morning. It is very exhi l arating. It is good for the l ungs, brain and heart. When I sit for meditation after a smoke I can medi tate nicely." Nice phi losophy ! They bri ng ingenious arguments . to support their evil habit. They cannot leave this i nveterat� habit. They are heavy smokers who w i l l fi nish a ti n of cigarettes within a few mi nutes. This habit starts from early boyhood. A little boy gets a curiosity for smoking. He stealthily removes a cigarette from the pocket of his uncle and tries a first smoke. He gets l i ttle tickli ng of nerves and continues the theft dail y. After some ti me he cannot manage with a few cigarettes. He begins to steal money to get a big ti n for smoking independently. His father and brothers are heavy smokers . They are the Gurus for these little boys for learn i ng the art of s moking. What a nasty state of affairs ! Horrible ! These parents are entirely responsible for the bad conduct of their chil dren . Any i ntoxicant brings in a bad habit soon, and the man fi nds i t difficult to give up the habit. He becomes a slave to smoking. M aya havocs through habits . This is the secret of her working. You w i l l not get an iota of benefit from smoking. Give up this wrong and foolish i magination. S moking brings an irritable heart, 'tobacco heart, ' amblyopia and other diseases of the eyes and n icoti ne poisoning of the system. Various nerv()us diseases and impotence develop graduall y. Now comes i n another evil habit-betel-chewing. Votaries of this evi l habit bring i n their 'philosophy al so l i ke the smokers. They say : "Betel is a good stimulant of the stomach. It digests food and gives good appetite." Look at their beautiful red teeth and ways of tallting with betel in their mouth s ! Their tongues become thick. They cannot pronounce the words properly. They
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want a vessel by their side to throw the spit. This is a dirty habit. They al ways keep the places very dirty. Money is simply wasted. It can be well uti lised in the purchase of Upanishads and other phi losophical books. People become slaves of betel. They cannot remain even for a few minutes without chewi ng. They take tobacco along with betels. This is another evi l habit. Some Bengalis take cocaine along with betels. This is a sti l l worse habit. It is very difficult to leave cocaine habit. Some use snuffs of scented kinds to tickle their olfactory nerves. This is also a nasty habit. They have to carry a stinking latrine in their pockets. Their whole body and dresses stink abom inably. You cannot approach them. They loose their self-respect when their stock of snuff is fi nished. They will stretch their hands to anybody i n the street to get a pinch of snuff. They become dull. They cannot work without snuff. How weak a man becomes through this evil habi t ! Pitiable indeed ! Ganj a ( Cannabis Indica ), opium, Charas are other intox icants. Some Sadhus take them in abundance. People eat opi um also to keep up their spirits and get excitement before copu lation. Sadhus claim that Ganja makes the mind one-pointed. This is simple foo lishness. He who is under intoxication cannot watch the movements of the mind. It is not one-pointedness. They get some exhi laration of spirit as in alcohol. This is also an evil habit of the worst kind. Al l these i ntoxicants poison the system and make a man unfit for spiritual practices. They have become slaves of these in toxicants . They have devel oped evil habits. They waste the rnoney in wrong channels. People who drink strong tea and cotfee very often in barrels develop a bad habit. They have become slaves of tea and coffee. In happy moderation they help hard workers. B u t the thing is that man loses his w i l l -power and finds it hard to resist his fall i ng into im moderation. There comes the trouble. He becomes a slave. If you can remain as a master and if you can gi ve it up at any time, then there is no harm. Novel -readi ng is another evil habit. Those who .are in the habit or read i n g novels that deal with passion and love cannot remain even ror a single second wi thout novel in their hands. They always want the i r nerves to be tickled w i th some sensational feeli ngs. Novel -readi ng fi l l s the · mi nds with base, l ustful thoughts and
excites passion . It is a great enemy of peace.
Many people have started now li braries for distribution of nove l s on a srnall subscription of four annas per mensem. They
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have not realised how much harm they are doing to the country. It is better that they chal k out another avocation to make out their l i veli hood. They spoil the minds of young men by the distribution of the worthless novels which excite the passion. The whole atmosphere is polluted. Severe · punishment is wai ting them in some form. Newspaper-readi ng also is an evil habit. People cannot leave their papers even while they are taking food. They always l i ke to hear some sensational news. They feel quite dull when they qo not read papers. They cannot get sleep without reading the daily news . They are quite untit for a life of meditation and secl usion. Place them in sol itude for three days. They will feel l i ke fish out of water. The reading of newspapers makes the mind al ways outgoing, bri ngs i n revival of worldly Samskaras and makes man forget God. Cinemas produce an evil habit in man. He cannot remai n even for a single day without attendi ng the show. His eyes want to see some half-nude pictures, lotus dances and some ki nds of colours. He is pleased with sweet music. Young girls and young boys become passi onate when they see the actors in ti lms kissing and embraci ng. Those who want to develop themselves in the spiritual line should entirely shun cinemas. They should not attend the so-called rel igious fi lms also. There are no really rel igious films. It is a k.i nd of trick to attract people and col lect money. What is the spiri tual cal i bre of the actors there? Spiri tual people only can bring out impressive stories with good morals that can thri l l the mi nds of the spectators. S leeping in the daytime is another evil habit. It shortens life. Time is wasted considerably. It brings in laziness' and lethargy. It develops gastri tis, dyspepsia and a host of.other ailments. It s hou ld be entirely gi ve n up, if you want to grow quickly. Snatch every second and uti l i se it properly. Life is fleeting, time is short, death is wai ting. How happy i s the man who is thoroughly destitute of a si ngle evil habi t ! He can attai n great success i n l ife and apply himsel f diligentl y to Yoga Sadhana. A vast majority' of persons have got the evil habit of using slang terms and abuses every second during their conversation. When ' they becom� excited and angry they pour forth a continuous shower of all sorts of foul words. It cannot be described. There are people who use such words as, 'Sala' , every second. It will come out like the . words : 'you see' in some people. 'Sala' means brother-i n-law in Hindi. If you cal i anybody by the term 'S ala' he
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will become very furious. People have a vu lgar habit and use these slang terms. A man of refined taste, culture and polish can never utter any such words. E ngli sh people very often use the words: "Damn foo l ; the son of bitch." The Engl ish military people use the word 'damn' every second. They cannot tal k without a 'damn' i n a sentence. This is also a very bad habit. See the children i n the streets. They fight, quarrel and use obscene words. When any Englishman comes to India or to any new country, he first tries to learn some obscene words. Look at human nature ! He does not want to learn the names of God. When the cart-driver twists the tail of the bul l , when the Tongavala whips the horse, there comes the words : "Sala, Badmash, Suvarka-Baccha (the son of a pig)." Parents should check their children when they utter any bad words. They themsel ves shoul d not use any bad words. They themselves become the Gurus for these chi ldren. Children si mply imitate. Children have got a strong power of i mitation. Practise to use the words such as: "Hare Ram, Hare Krishna, Hae Prabhu" al ways, even when you tal k. Bri ng these words every second. Train your children also. This itself w i l l form a kind of Japa or remembrance of God . Train your mind. Check also all people who often use vulgar words through bad, habit. This is the most important duty of the parents. Any healthy habit' sown in the minds of children becomes fi rmly rooted. There are some who are unconscious of their bad habits and many who do not recognise it as bad. If they recognise it to be bad then the correction is very . simple. ' An advocate was a terri ble smoker for a period of fifteen years. With one strong will ing he left it off enti rely. There was a police Inspector in Madras. He had drinking, nd smoki ng habits. With a strong determi nation, he left the habits. He did not touch them from that day. First, realise that you have got an evil habi t, and then i ntensely desire that you should give it up at any cost. Your success has already come. Wi l l strongly: ' ' I w i l l .give u p this bad habit from this very second ." You will succeed. Giving up any bad habit at once is better. The habit of slowly giving up by gradual reduction generally does not turn out to be successfu l . Beware of recurrences. Resol utely turn your face when a little temptation tries to reappear. Keep the mind fully occupied in your work. Be busy. Entertain a strong desire: "I must become a great man presently." All these habits will fl y away. Feel' strongly: ' ' I must become a spiri,t ual man ." All these bad habits will disappear.
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Use your subconscious mind for eradication of your habits. It i s your inti mate friend and thick chum. Keep companionship with him. He will make matters al l right. Establish new healthy habits. Develop your wi l l also. Give up bad company. Always have Satsanga. Live amidst Mahatmas. Their strong currents will overhaul your evil habits . There is nothing impossible under the sun. Where there is a will, there is a way. I have received many letters from those who have gi ven up the bad habits of taking mutton, fi sh, alcohol , smoke, etc. In the beginning they will feel it difficult but when they succeed, they will realise the immense benefit and happi ness.
Eradicate Negative Qualities S hyness is a great hindrance in the path of success in life. Thi s is a form of ti midity or low fear. Almost all boys have this weakness. This is a feminine qual ity. This is the Svabhava of ladies . Shyness manifests itself when one is in the wrong path. Everyone knows that the goal of life is God-realisation and yet one engages oneself in sexual matters. This wrong action creates shyness when one appears before anyone. A shy boy or man cannot express his thoughts boldly before any person . He cannot look directly at the eyes of another man. He will talk to you look ing at the ground. He cannot approach any stranger freely. A shy man cannot get on well i n any kind of business or office. Modesty is not shyness. Modesty is decency or chastity. This comes out of pol iteness and pol ish of character. Some Ranis are very shy in t he beginning to talk to men when they come outside, a fter the death of their husbands. Gradual ly they become bold and the shyness van ishes. Those who are shy should try to tal k with others boldly. They should look directly at the face of others. Shyness is a great weakness . It should be eradicated quickly by culti vati ng courage. Ti midity is another weakness. This is fai nt-heartedness. This is a form of fear. This is aki n to shyness. A timid man has a chicken-heart. He is unfit for public acti vities and any kind of adventurous work: He is a toad that lives in a smal l well . He c � nnot be� ome a successful man i n life. He cannot tal k boldly to hts supenors. He cannot deal boldly with his customers in busi ness. How can he then expect prosperi ty? He is afraid of losing his life. He is much attached to his wife, children and property. He is afraid of public opinion. He cannot tal k even a few
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words with emphasis and force. A timid man is more or less like a woman. Timidity must be eradicated by developing courage. Ti midity is a curse. It weakens a man. It checks growth. It hinders in the success of a man. Pessimism is another undesirable negative qual ity. This is a temper of mind that looks too much on the dark side of thi ngs. It is the doctrine in which the whole world is bad rather than good. Th is is a depressing view of life. Buddhists preach pessimism. Yedantins are wonderfu l optimists, though they say that the world is unreal. They talk on Vairagya to create a distaste for the worthless l ife of thi s world, and to create a taste for the immortal, blissfu l lif� i n Brahman. The opposite of pessimism is opti mism. It al ways l ooks at the bright side of the picture. A pessimist is al ways gloomy, depressed, lazy and lethargic. Cheerful ness is unknown to him. He infects others. Pessimism is an epidemic, infectious disease. A pessimist cannot get success in this world. Become a powerful optimist and rej oice in the all-pervading Atman. Try to be cheerfu l under any condition of l i fe. Practise this. Some people are over-credulous. Thi s is also bad. They are very easily cheated by others. You must fully understand the man. You must know his nature, qualities, his antecedence and his behaviour. You must try and test him on several occasions. When you are fu lly satisfied, then you can place fu ll confidence in him. He may be a deep man. He may put on a false appearance and turn out to be quite reverse after some time. You will have to watch him very cl osely and move with him closely and hear about him from several other persons with whom he has moved. Man cannot hide his nature for a very long time. His face is the advertisement board that registers all his inner feelings and thoughts and in short all that take place in the inner mental factory. After close exami nation and test one should place confidence in another man. Too much of a suspicious nature is also bad. This is the opposite of over-credu lousness. The mind al ways moves in extremes. The husband suspects his wife always. The wife suspects her husband. A l ways there is a fight and trouble i n the house. The proprietor suspects his servants. How can busi ness go on? The world runs on faith. The Directors of the biggest Railways in India were in England. They did not know in detail what was exactly goi ng on in India. Yet the Rai lways ran smoothly. The Directors believed the Agents, the Traffic Managers and other
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PRACTICE OF YOGA
Official s. These people in turn believed the subordi nate staff. Many shareholders of the coffee and tea estates i n Ceylon are in America and England, and the business goes on wel l . Business runs on faith . If people are too much suspicious, friction and rupture w i l l be al ways going on. Give a margin and try the man. Do not go to extremes. Do not be over-.credulous or over suspicious . Keep to the golden mean. • Then comes another undesirable qual ity-intolerance. There is religi ous i ntolerance. There i s communal. intol,erance. There is intolerance of a l l sorts. Intolerance is petty-mindedness. It is unreasonable dislike for little things. The S ikh can drink alcohol. There is no harm in this. But he becomes i ntolerant when h� sees anybody smoking. A Maharashtra Brahmin can do any kind of w rong but he w i l l be intolerant of a Kashmere Pundit who takes meat. A Madrasi Brahm i n can take anything in the restaurant, but he is intolerant of a Bengal i who takes fi sh. The whole of the restlessness and fight in th is world takes its origin in intolerance. An Englishman is intolerant towards an Irishman or a German . A H i ndu is i ntolerant towards a Mohammedan, and vice versa. An Arya S amaj i st is i ntolerant towards a Sanatanist, and vice versa. Th is is due to ignorance. How can a man who sees the one Truth be intolerant? All these smal l differences are purely a mental creation. Expand. Embrace al l . Include all . Love al l . Serve all. Behold the Lord in all. Unite with al l . See God in everything, in every face. Feel the indwel l i ng presence in all . Change the angle of vision or mental attitude. Be l i beral and cathol ic in your views. Destroy al l the barriers that separate man from , man . Drink the eternal Atmi c bliss . Become perfectly tolerant. Excuse the baby souls who are strugg l i ng in the path and who are maki ng mistakes. Forget and forgive. ·
Many worry themse lves too much that they are inferior to others. The i dea of superi ority and inferiority is again a mental creation. The inferior man may become superior if he exerts, struggles and deve l ops virtues. The superior man may become an i n ferior r:na n if he loses his property. and develops vices. Never think that you are inferior or superior to anybody. If you thi nk you are superior to �nybody, you _ w i l l begin to treat others -.yith conte_m pt. The ideas of s uperiority and i nferiority are the products of ignorance. Develop equal-vision. Live in the true spirit of the Gita. Hear what the Gita says: "Sages look equal ly on a Brahmin adorned with learni ng and humility, a cow, an elephant and even a
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dog or an outcaste:" Namadev ran with a cup of ghee behind a dog to apply ghee to the bread. He said: "0 Dog, you are a form of my Kri shna. This dry bread w i l l hurt your throat. Pray, al low · me to apply this ghee' over the bread." Sri Ekanath gave the Ganga water, which he carried from Kasi on his shoulder for Abhisheka at Ramesvar, to an ass. Where is superiority and inferiorit)4 when you behold the one Self everywhere? Change your angle of vision and rest in peace. .
Then comes another evil quality-depression. People have plenty of money and yet they are always depressed. They put on a morose, peevish appearance. They are al ways gloomy. It i s a dangerous epidemic disease. The gloomy man spreads gloom and depression everywhere. He cannot apply himself to any kind of work. He is idle and lethargic. Depression will depl ete all energy. Thi nk of the virtue, cheerfulness. Have a mental picture of joy and the habit of cheerfulness will develop around this mental picture. Smile and laugh. Give a smile to everybody whom you meet on the road. That man who always keeps a cheerful countenance radiates joy to others. Some are not able to decide anything defin itely in certain important matters. They have not got independent power of judgment. They will simply prolong the matter. They will not come to a definite positive decision. A man who is prone to indecision wi l l never succeed i n any attempt. He w i l l be full of doubts and fears. Procrasti nation is the friend of indecision. The opportu nity will slip away. It will be too late to gather honey i n winter: You must think over a matter for some time and then come to definite decision. At once you must appl y your wi ll and try to put the matter into execution. Then only you will succeed. Too much thinking w i l l upset the matter. In important ma ters you can con�u lt some of your elders who have got experience in the line, and who are your real wel l-wishers. Carelessness and forgetfulness are other two evil qual ities that stand i n the way of success of a man. A careless man cannot do any action in a proper manner. These are qual ities born of Tamas. Appli cati on and tenacity are unknown to a man of carelessness. The superiors get displeased with a man who is careless and forgetful . There is lack of attention in a careless and forgetfu l man. A forgetful man generally loses his key, shoes and umbrella. He cannot produce the papers and records to the officer in time. He blinks. Fol l ow the lessons in memory-culture that are given in the
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subsequent pages, and you can have a good memory in no time. Develop a strong desire to remove these two defects, and to develop careful ness and good memory. Thi s i s i mportant. Then the will and subconscious m i nd will do the work for you. Tie the key al ways at the end of your cloth as soon as you lock the door. Keep the money i n the i nside-pocket. Keep your spectacles i n the side-pocket. Always count the packages whenever you go for a tour. Keep accounts regularly. Daily make a small note of the items you have to attend to. ·
Many people are al ways diffi dent. They have no sel f confidence. They have energy, capacity and faculties. But they have no confidence in their own powers and faculties and i n getting success. Thi s i s a k i n d of weakness that brings failures in al l attempts. A man appears on the platform to deli ver a lecture. He is a capable man. He is learned. B ut he is diffident. He thinks fool ishly that he cannot produce an i mpressi ve speech. The moment this kind of negati ve thought occupies his mind, he becomes nervous, staggers and gets down from the platform. This fail ure is due to his lack of self-confidence. You may have a little capac ity and yet you must have full confidence that you will succeed in your attempt. There are people who have very little materials and capacity and yet they thrill the audience. This is due to their confidence. Confidence is a k i nd of power. Confidence develops w i l l . Al ways thi n k : "I will succeed. I am ful ly confident in my s uccess." Never gi ve room for the negative quality, diffidence, to enter your mind. Confidence is half-success. You must fu lly know your real worth. A man of confidence i s always successful i n his attempts.
Conserve Your Energy The conservation of energy in th i s body is of paramount importance. The subject of con�ervation of energy mai nly concerns the col lege students, the professors, doctors, lawyers, engi neers and all businessmen and, in short, one and all. Many do not know how to conserve the energy and regulate it according to � he needs. Th ey do not � now how to transmute one form of energy _ 1 11to another form. That IS why the vast majority of persons are not able to become prodigies or geni u ses i n the world. If you really want to become a great man, if you want to ach ieve something grand and s u bl i me, conservation of energy will hel p you a lot. You must know the different ways by which the energy is wasted and then the way by which it can be transformed to some useful
ETHICAL CULTURE purposes, or for spiritual pursuits and development of higher i nner Yogic faculties. An agriculturist tries to save every drop of water and uti lises it properly in his fields and garden . An Engineer tries to uti l i se the energy of a waterfall for various purposes and con verts into electricity. When such is the case with the physical· energy, what to speak of the spiritual and mental energy that are dormant or latent i n men. A great man is not one who possesses enormous wealth. One who possesses a good, lovi ng heart and the spirit of service, who has knowledge of Sastras, who possesses the virtues of Ahimsa, Brahmacharya, Satya, etc., is really a great man. He may be very poor. He may appear ugly. Nobody might care for him. He may be clad in rags. Yet, he is a very great man in this world. He i s dear to one and al l . A Yogi o r a Jnani does not al low even a very small amount of energy in him to be wasted in useless directions. He utilises all conserved energy i n Atma-Vichara and spiritual pursuits. Mr. Ford of great repute knew this science wel l . That is the reason why he became one of the richest men of this world. S i r J.C. Bose, was fully aware of this art. He util ised the conserved energy i n his laboratory i n inventions and discoveries. Generally many people waste their energy in the followi ng channels. These are the important ones. There are many other mi nor items. If you do not al low the energy to be wasted through these important channels, then it will be easy for you to check the waste through mi nor ones, or they will be automatically checked. Shutting up of these main channels will bri ng about the closi ng of the other channels. J ust as the overseer who is i n charge of the canal irrigation department puts the shutters in the canal and turns the water into the lands of landl ords for agricultural purposes, so also the Yogi shuts out al l the apertures into which the physical and mental energy leaks out and transmutes them i nto Oj as-Sakti and spends the conserved energy in spiritual pursuits. The main chan nels by which energy is wasted are as fol lows :1. 2. 3.
The reproducti ve organs. The tongue. The mind.
Now J shall tell you the various means by which the above channels spend the energy. You will find also useful suggestions and exercises to effecti vely conserve all the energy. If one method
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is not sui able o you, selec any o her method. First of all the reproduc i ve organ drains · he energy enormously by excessive sexual i n ercourse. Young men do not realise the value of the vital fluid. They waste this dynamic energy by immoderate copulation. Their nerves are tickled much. They become i ntoxicated. Wha.t a serious blunder! I is a crime which deserves capital punishmen . They are slayers of the Atman. When this energy is once was ed, i can never be recouped by any o her means. It is the mos valuable energy in the whole world. One sexual ac completely shatters he brain and nervous system. They foolishly i magine that they can recover the los energy by taking milk, almonds and Makaradhvaja. This is a mis ake. You mus try your best o preserve every drop of semen, although you are a married man. Self-realisation is the goal of l i fe. The i dea of keeping up he l i neage is a Puranic story. Srutis empha ically say : "The moment you get Vairagya, at once, renounce he world." Sadasiva B rahman, one of the greates Yogins, lef his young wife the momen he had Vairagya. He has not seen her after her puberty. Nothi ng affec ed him. No one could complain hat he fai led in his duty. The highest duty for you is Self-realisation. That man who has realised he Atman purifies his l ineage up to 1 08 genera ions. This is he highest service he can do for his ances ors. Compared to this, service o father wi h money, or shampooi ng his feet, are mere p l ay hi ngs of a child. This sor of physical service is puerile. My friend Mr. Iyer, Advoca e of he Madras High Cour , the first son of a big Sastri, wil l stand up now and speak in emphatic terms with rhetoric and high-flowing bombas ic s yle: "This Swamiji does not know anything of Manu Smri i or Yaj navalkya Smriti . My fa her knows every hing. He is a famous Sastri . We should remain as householders il l 75 years of age. Then we should lead a life of Vanapras ha, and a he ti me of death we should ake Sannyasa." Mr. Iyer i s af er all he son of an or hodox Brahmin. He i s a book-worm and is l i ke he frog of a small wel l . He has a very small hear . His circle of l ife i s arou nd his six daugh ers and fi ve sons. He w i l l talk of high philosophy. He will quote scriptures. But his mind is ful l of Vasanas. His philosophy is in his kitchen only. As he vast majority of persons are no able o control passion, Rishis have chalked out the Grihastha Ashrama. If a man from his very birth is spiri ually i nclined and his mind i s full o f Vairagya a n d s rong discrim ination, h e canno remain i n the Gri hastha Ashrama even for a second. He wi l l ake Sannyasa immediately and spend his time i n he forests in Sravana, Manana
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and Nididhyasana. He will get double promotion from Naishth i ka . Brahmacharya. He need not enter the life of a householder and waste his precious energy. That man who has controlled his seminal power and transmuted i t i nto Oj as-Sakti is the most happy and powerful man on this earth. · He can command the five elements. He is a proof against all temptations of this world. He can get success i n any department of life . He will have ful l concentration of mind. For saving thi s vital energy, many Yogic methods are suggested in detai I in this book under th� heading: "Brahmacharya .." However, I shal l tell you some important poi nts. Keep the mind fully occupied. This is the best panacea or sovereign remedy 'for keeping up Brahmacharya. Do Japa, meditation, reading of religious books, Kirtan, prayer, Satsanga, selfless service, religious discourses, etc. Al ways wear a Kaupina or suspendary bandage. This is scienti fic and spi ri tual , too. If you are a married man, sleep in a separate room, away from your wife. Change your habit immediately. Be careful in the selection of your companions. Give up dramas, tal kies, reading novels and other love-stories. Do not use soaps, scents and flowers. Observe Mauna. Do not mix with any one. Read good, i nspiring, rel igious books. When desires arise in the m i nd do not fulfil them. Crush them i m mediately. Avoid the company of women. No joking and laughing. These are all outward manifestations of lust only. When you walk in the street, do not look hi ther and thither l i ke a monkey. Do not look at a woman--even her photo or picture. Energy leaks through the mouth by idle talks, gossiping, censure, scandal mongering and all sorts of useless worldly talks. Vain Pundits engage themselves in hot.discussions to exhibit their pedantry. They do not gain anything. B ut they waste their energy unnecessaril y. J ust as a greedy man is careful i n the accumulation of his wealth and does not l i ke to waste even a si ngle pie and considers money as his very blood, so also aspirants conserve even a minute quantity of energy and util ise it for good purposes. Energy is all money. People do not understand the value of energy. They waste it very carelessly. They squander it l ike a profl i gate son. They repent and become weak in their old age. It is too late to gather honey in the winter. They wil l never hear the words of elders and sages when they are full-blooded, when their cheeks are rosy, when their moustache s stand twisted with g l ue, when their.
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PRACTICE OF YOGA
hearts throb with ful l energy. They become arrogant, self-willed, stubborn and hot-headed. You should never enter i nto unnecessary discussions . D iscussions end i n hostil ity. Too much laughter is another way fo r the wastage of energy through mouth. A man who · bursts i nto laughter always cannot i nfluence people. Serenity, seriousness and a dignified attitude are necessary if you want to impress and i nfl uence people. Idle people and loafers who sit on wayside and public i nns laugh without rhyme and reason l ike wild, j u ngle people. The laughter of a spiritual man is of quite a different nature. It has a sense of awe and grandeur. It produces a thri l l and j oy i n others. B ut the laughter of those loafers is disgusting and heart-rendi ng. Note the difference carefully. Try to be seri ous and give occasional smile. But do not attempt to put on the Sunday faces of a c lergyman. Be quite natural . Meditate on the Atman . Develop virtuous qualities. You need not assume and put on anything unnatural. Hypocrisy or pretending to be somethi ng which you are really not is a most dangerous. or heinous crime. It is most detestable. A Jnani laughs and smiles through his eyes. It is only a foolish man that bursts i nto laughter. The smile and laughter through the eyes w i l l infl uence people tremendously. You will have . to cultivate it gradually. No energy leaks if you smile. This may be a new thing for you. It belongs to the spiritual men. Use measured words in talking. Do not talk much. Try to fi nish a conversation within a few minutes. Understand the nature of the man rightly when he enters your compound for interview. Speak politely w ith great respect for the man and send him immediately and conserve the energy. Do not i ndulge in long, unnecessary talks and discussions. Man i s a social animal . He is prone to much talking. He is very garrulous. This talkative habit is i ngrai ned i n h i m . H e is much troubled w hen h e cannot get any company. He cannot go in for seclusion. The observance of Mauna is death and a great capital punishment for him. Ladies are stil l more garrulous. They always create some kind of unnecessary quarrel in the house. The peace of the house is di sturbed through too much tal king. I al ways prescribe the practice of Mauna for one and all , as this helps in the preservation of energy, development of will and enjoy ment of peace. All sorts of quarrels, misunderstandings, anger, etc . , can be easily avoided by Mauna. Mauna gives the greatest strength. A l l members i n the house should observe Mauna for two hours dai ly and for six hours on Sundays and for one ful l week o n . l ong hol idays. Even during other periods they should talk
ETHICAL CULTURE a very few words. S peak gently. During Mauna you m ust l i ve alone. Do not mix with people. Do not even express your i deas by gestures. The other channel is the mind, by which much energy is wasted. The wastage is · due to loose thinking, worry, anger and fear. J ust as energy is wasted in too m uch tal k, so also energy is wasted i n loose thi nking. I f this mental energy is conserved by avoiding loose thinking and worries, you will have at your disposal a tremendous store of energy and you can uti l i se i t for various purposes. If thi s energy is conserved, you w i l l feel that you are very powerfu l . You w i l l feel no exhaustion even if you turn out tremendous work . You will have to watch your thoughts very carefully by introspection and meditation. You w i l l have to divert the mental energy in useful thinking. There w i l l be some struggle in the beginni ng. After some time, the mind w i l l naturally thi n k of auspicious, use ful items . The next item is worry. A man knows pretty wel l that he w i l l get a money-order on the coming Thursday o n l y and yet h e will worry himself daily and visit the Post Office four times a day and ask the Postman several times. Thi s is all worry. Man knows that everything is already fixed up through Prarabdha. He k n ows that God gives food for the frog that remains hidden between the strata of rocks and the child in the womb. He w i l l tal k on this subject for hours together and yet he will worry about his next day's food, clothi ng and other things. He has got very l i ttle faith. He has a worrying habit. Energy leaks tremendously through thi s channel. Too many desires bri ng worry. A businessman entangles himself by opening too many branches in different places. His worry increases by leaps and bounds. This is his own creation. Many people develop worry by fal sely imagini ng that they are inferior to others. The idea of i nferiority and superiority brings i n troubles and worries. Jdeas of superiority and inferiority are mental creation only. It is ill usory. All differences are unreal . Never thi n k that you are inferior to anybody. Never think also that you are superior to anybody. You will begi n to treat others with contempt w hen you think you are superior to them. Remove these ideas from your mind. These are the causes for useless worry. By constant medi tati on and concentration, you will have to di vert the mind from all unnecessary worry. If you have contentment, then the worry can be easi ly destroyed. You must get rid of all sorts of mental weaknesses, superstitions, false and wrong imaginations,
·
46
PRACTICE OF YOGA
fear and wrong Samskaras. When desires arise i n the mind do not try to fu lfi l them. By gradual practice desires can be reduced. If you stop desires, you can destroy worry and conserve energy. Now comes i magi nary phobias or fears of al l sorts. Energy leaks in this direction. Man thinks: "I will develop pneumonia. I have got fever and cough now." ·He gets unnecessary fear. A disease is i ntensified by thi nking. An ordinary ailment becomes severe by entertaining unnecessary fear. Another man is afraid of criticisms. What is critici�m after all? It i s mere sound. It is merely a vi bration in the ether. Why do you bother yourself much? If any man cal ls you a dog, why do you become furious? You do not develop four legs at once. Do you? You begin to fight with him. Your eyes b ecome red. You retal iate him. You call him a donkey. He gets i rri tated. He fights with you . Both become deadly enemies . When you do Vichara, i t i s nothing. This is the way by which man creates trouble and mi sery. Give up all fears. Stand up l i ke a l ion. Assert: "I am an embodiment of courage. Nothing can affect me. I am invincible. I am i mmortal Atman." Draw courage from with i n . There are many peopl e who are so timid that they w i l l not come out at n i ght for passing urine. They w i l l not move about at n i ghts in bazaars. Even w hen they see a cat at n ights, they tremble. What a shame ! They are so timid that they do not l i ke to get any l u crati ve appoi n tment in other districts or states. They w i l l rot on a small salary in their own native p l ace. They are e m bodiments of timidity and fem i ni ne nature. They are moustache-ladies. There are some Sannyasins who repeat: "Sivoham, Sivoham, " but they tremble with fear when they are put to a l i ttle test. They perspire and quiver when there is any impendi ng · danger. They are Zenana-Vedanti ns. Poor miserable · specimens. I always say that a dacoit can become a good Vedantin if his energy is turned in the spiritual direction, because he is absol utely fearless and has no Deha-adhyasa. This is the greatest qual ification for an aspirant. All fears are i maginary. They have no real basis: When you begi n to thi n k seriously, they will melt away l i ke snow before the sun. Thi n k that a tiger or l ion has come i n front of y o u and you w i l l have t o face i t . Think that you are placed in front of a machine-gun and you w i l l be blown up now. Draw courage now. Think of Atman. Thi n k of the S lokas in the second chapter of the Gita that deal w i th i mmortality of the Soul. Again and again, th ink of the subl i me S lokas of the Avadhuta Gita that
ETHICAL CULTURE
47
treat of Akshara-Atman. You will slowly become courageous, though not all at once. You w i l l find that you are gaini ng courage. Man wastes much energy by becoming angry very often for little things. The whole nervous system i s agitated and shattered. If this anger is control led by Brahmacharya, Kshama, love and Vichara, a man can move the world. Anger manifests i tself so suddenly that he fi nds it difficult to check it. The impulses are very powerful and he is swayed by these i mpulses. If a man i s carefu l , i f he preserves h i s Virya, i f h e develops Kshama, if he i s al ways o n the alert, i f h e watches h i s thoughts and actions, h e can gai n immense strength and control anger. Anger is the greatest enemy of man on this earth. He who has controlled anger has already controlled his mind. Three-fourth of the S adhana is over now. Al most al l people are in the habit of shaking unnecessarily some part of the body e ven while they are sitti ng calmly. Prakriti wants movement. This i s Her S vabhava. The man who is seated in the chair for readi ng any book, shakes his thighs and legs. They are moved unconsciously. He cannot check the movement. It has become a strong habit. Energy leaks through this channel also. I t must b e checked. Watch the different parts o f the body and check them . Some people rock the body from side to side or forward and backward. A Yogi will never do this. He w i l l sit calm and serene and no part of the body w i l l unnecessaril y move in any direction. He can remain as a perfect statue. Sadhus have got a wandering habit and energy is wasted in too much wal king. They cannot practi se any meditation. As soon as they reach a vil lage, they wi l l feel quite tired and begin to sleep. No Sadhana is possible. An aspirant i n the pure Nivritti -Marga shou ld stick to one place and practise concentration and medi tati on. Too much wal king must be avoided. It exhausts any man and renders him unfit for active work. I have given in the above pages a detailed descri ption of all the sources through which energy leaks out and the practical , easy methods for conservation of energy. In the subsequent pages also you wi l l fi nd many other instructions useful for you to conserve your energy. You w i l l have to put these i nstructions in daily practice. You must conserve al l energy and uti l ise i t for higher spiritual purposes and achievements in life. You m ust know how to regulate the energy. Some people spend the energy too much i n the beginning in unimportant affairs, and j ust at the time when they
PRACTICE OF YOGA are wanted to manifest their fu l l powers and full energy, they feel quite exhausted. You should have far-sight and deep thinking. U nderstand ful l y the purpose and aim of l ife. Do not be carried away by temptations. Maya is very powerfu l . Live in the company of Mahatmas. This is a strong fortress to protect you in your initial stages of growth. Devel op your i nner faculties. Conserve your energy. Acquire knowledge of the Self. The Atman is self-contai ned. You can get . everything here. Oevelop virtues. Remem ber the basis and source. Have the ideal al ways before your mind. Real ise the ideal . Rise above worldli ness. Become a magnani mous ou l . Wish eagerly and fervently to attai n the goal of life . Have a definite purpose and aim. You are bound to succeed. In the spiritual path there are many stumbling obstacles which prevent the aspirants. In the next chapter, I w i l l tell you the various ki nds of obstacles and suitable methods to destroy them. For si ncere aspirants, thi s subject w i l l be of great help.
·
CHAPTER FOUR
PREPARATION FOR YOGA Purification Purification is the first part of Yoga. The means differ in Raja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Hatha Yoga and Karma Yoga. In Raja Yoga, Patan jali Maharshi cal ls this Kriya Yoga, which he defi nes thus: " Tap�1 h s vadhyayesvarapranidhanani kriya-yo,�?ah-Mortifica tion, study and surrenderi ng the fruits of work to God, are called Kriya Yoga .'' The rules of Yama, Niyama, Asaha, Pranayama come under mortification or Tapas. In Hatha Yoga, there are six purificatory actions, viz., Dhauti, Bhastt, Neti, Trataka, Nauli and Kapalabhati . Purification is of two kinds: internal or mental , and external or physical . Mental purity is more important. Physical purity is also needed. By the establishment of internal , mental purity, cheerful ness of mind, one-pointed mind, conquest of the senses and fitness for the realisation of the Atman are obtai ned. The practice of Kriya Yoga destroys the affl ictions and distractions o� the mind and prepares the mind for enteri ng into Samadh i . In the Gita Slokas 1 4 to 1 6 of Chapter XVII, there is a definition of Tapas of the body, speech and mind.
Ethical Training Yama and Niyama are the foundation of Yoga. They purify the . heart, Chitta and mind. They remove the cruel nature of man. Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi are absolutely impossible without this primary qual ification. If you are establi shed in these, Samadhi will automatically follow. "1\h imsa-satya-asteya-brahmac/zarya-aparigraha yamah: Yama is the practice of non-inj uring, truthfu l ness, non-stealing, con ti nence and non-receiving gifts conducive to l uxury." "Saucha santosha-tapalz-svadhyaya-/s va rapranidhanani Niyamah: Ni yam a is the practice of internal and external purity, contentment, mor ti fication, study and worship of God." Among all these, Ahimsa, Satya and Brahmacharya are very, very important. In Brahmacharya, the very idea of lust should not enter the mind. A real Brahmachari will not have the least difference in feel i ng when he touches a stone, a book, a tree or a woman. Thi s is the sign of perfect celibacy.
50
PRACTICE OF YOGA
Importance of Yama and Niyama A certai n doctor neglected to study physiology properly, which treats of functions of the various i nternal viscera or organs . As he neglected physiology, he was not able to understand pathology, which is physiology in disease. He neglected to learn pathology properly. He was not able to understand diagnosis properly, through which he can differentiate various diseases. He neglected to study carefu l l y the differential diagnosis and medicine. He was not able to do treatment properly. If you want to treat a case properly, you must know diagnosis and medicine wel l . If you want to diagnose a disease, you must know pathology properly. If you want to know pathology, you must k now physiol ogy wel l . Generally ignorant people try t o take up meditation t o start with and then try to enter into Samadhi i n vai n . They have no proper ethical training. They have not got the four means or qualifications. They have no Titiksha and other physical training. Yama and Ni yama are the foundation of Raja Yoga. Viveka and Vai ragya are the foundation of Jnana Yoga. If you want Samadhi, you must know the process of Dhyana wel l. If you want Dhyana, you m ust know accurately the method of Dharana. If you want Dharana, you must know perfectly the method of Pratyahara. If you want Pratyahara, you must know Pranayama. If you want Pranayama, you must know Asana well . Before goi ng i nto the practice of Asana, you should practise Yama and Niyama. There is no use of j umping into Dhyana without the various preliminary practices. You will be in the same position as that of the miserable doctor who was not able to diagnose and treat a case properly owing to his neglect i n studying physiology, pathology and medicine. S i m i larly, i n Jnana Yoga, i f you want Sakshatkara or Self-realisation, you must know the process of Nidi dhyasana well . I f you want Nididhyasana, you must know Manana. I f you want Manana, you must have Sravana. If you want Sravana, you must have Mumukshutva. If you want Mumukshutva, you must have Samadhana, Sraddha and Uparati . If you want Uparati , you must have Titiksha, Dama and Sarna. If you want these, you must have Vairagya. If you want Vairagya, you must have Vi veka. Viveka and Vairagya are the foundation upon which the superstructure of Nididhyasana is built up. You can do nothing without Yama, Niyama, Vi veka and Vai ragya.
PREPARATION FOR YOGA
Destroy the Impurities The m i nd has got three kinds of Doshas or i mpunt1es, viz., Mala, Vikshepa and Avarana. The six passions are termed Mala. Mala is the impurity of the mind. They are: Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada and Matsarya. Removal of Mala is purification of the Antahkarana, Chitta-Suddhi . Purification is the first part of Yoga. When the Antahkarana is purified, there is a natural tendency for liberation and S iddhi . Extinction of Mala alone i s Moksha. It i s desire that moves the senses. Sattva-Suddhi consists i n the elimi nation of these passions and control of the senses. These six passions are the positive obstacles to Yoga. They � hould be thoroughly eradicated. They should be exhaustively swept out. You must not al low a bit of it to lurk secretly. B esides the above six passions, there are seven other kinds of i mpurities viz., Dambha, Darpa, Asuya, Irshya, Ahankara, Raga and D vesha. . Kama is desire of al l sorts. In the specific sense it denotes l ust. Krodha is anger. Lobha is covetousness. Moha is del usion and infatuation. Mada is pride. Matsarya is jealousy. Dambha i s arrogance. Darpa is that vai n demeanour when a man thi n ks h e i s superior t o all . Asuya is jealousy when one is excited o n seeing another man in happiness and enjoyment equal to his state. Irshya is that state when a man wishes that other people should get misery. Ahankara is egoism. Raga is attachment. Dvesha is hatred. Mala can be removed by Nishkama Karma and by the development of the various virtues mentioned. Vikshepa i s oscillation o r tossing of m i nd. This can b e removed b y Upasana, Pranava-Japa, concentration and meditation. Avarana is the veil of · ignorance, which can be removed by study of Vedantic l iterature, meditation and Self-real isation. ·
·
Cultivate Virtues Development of virtues helps considerably in the attainment of cal mness of the Chi tta. This i s the effective method for destroyi ng the evil Vrittis. "Maitri karuna mudita upekshanam sukha duhkha punya-apunya vishayanam bha vanataschitta-prasadanam: Friend ship, mercy, gladness and indifference being thought of in regard to subjects which are happy, unhappy, good and evi l respecti vely, pacify the Chitta.'' These qual ities destroy hatred, jealousy, anger, etc. Any virtue can be culti vated i n heart, j ust as roses are planted in the garden . If you begin to practise charity, your covetousness will vanish. The development of humility w i l l destroy self-conceit. Titiksha, tolerance, patience, perseverance, a quali ty of vital w i l l ,
52
PRACTICE OF YOGA
sel f-rel iance, are al l necessary for Sadhakas. You can conquer the whole world through love, humility and kindness. Nobi lity, benevolence, uni versal love and subtle intel lect are four important qualities found in a man who has reached the higher states in Yoga. Such a man w i l l be a centre of attraction for thousands, j ust as the sweet music of the flute is attractive for the cows . A mis€r is very far from God. God is as much near to a miser as the north pole is to the south. You must develop universal love, spontaneous generosity and liberality, equal vision, constant balance of mind, spirit of service, etc., before you are ready for Dharana, Dhyana and S amadhi.
Develop Patience Here is a form of play at cards to develop patience of mind. This is pl ayed by a single i ndividual. Everyone of you should know this play. There are 9 rows of cards . You can shift the cards from one row to another. You can reduce or open new rows, but the number should not exceed 9. You must try to bring them in a serial order from king, queen, Jack, I 0, 9, 8, etc., in 4 rows of Diamonds, Odds, Spades and C l u bs. This i s the technique of the play. An aspirant w i l l not be lonely in the aosence of friends if he has some such di versions, he is not al lowed to have vain talk. He must l i ve alone. In the beginning when he is deprived of the sources of his pleasure, he is pai ned. So i n the early days of his Sadhana, ' when he feels ti red after meditation, when he wants a little recreation and relaxation of mind, he can take recourse to this play. Ordi nary people may not be able to understand the useful ness of thi s pl ay. Thi s is i ntended for the development of patience, concentration and as useful substitute for congenial company. The play is a sort of diversion, a form of mental recreation ' for the mind after Japa, S vadhyaya and long meditation. Thi s is serviceable in the case of householders. You cannot study or do Japa all the 24 hours . The mind feel s disgusted, feels tired. It wants variety, new sensations. Instead of having vain talk with people of different mentality and uncongenial company, householder-aspirants can spend a short ti me in this play. When he gets real interest and pleasure in meditation, when he is used to long hours of meditation, Japa, etc., he can dispense with this play.
PREPARATION FOR YOGA
53
Medical Aid for Chitta-Suddhi Keep a few medici nes, a small homeopathic box or a smal l box of 1 2 biochemical tissue remedies or an al lopathic chest contai ni ng Epsom Salt, Aspirin tablets, Amritanjan. Qui nine tablets, Boric powder, Boric ointment, Ti ncture Iodine, Vaseline, Acid Tartaric, Potassi um Permanganate, bandage cloth, cotton, etc. Learn the doses and the method of treatment of diseases and the use of the above medicines. Distri bute the medicine free to the poor. Thi s i s the best form o f Nishkama-Karma for Chitta-Suddhi o r purifi cation of mi nd. Universal love, spontaneous generosity, supreme selfless service towards the poor and sai nts, a spirit of never-caring for the future, sacrifice or sharing with others what one has, extreme humility, dispassionate nature, perfect knowledge of Sastras and of philosophy-these are the rare virtues of a saintly man . These virtuous qualities are essential for spiritual progress. Develop them slowly one by one. Distribute a few paise per rupee of your income as charity. Do this without fai l . Charity is a great purifier. It expands the heart. Serve the saints, the decrepit, the sick, aged persons, the blind. Never approach a sick man or a Sannyasin with an empty hand. Do not hoard money. It i s a great sin. Money is for cosmic use. Do not eat anythi ng before distributing a portion to others. To keep more than what i s necessary is a s i n . Serve al l . Serve the Lord in a l l . Be kind t o all. Serve the poor Narayanas. The world is not different from Brahman. In Brahma-Bhava, the world does not cease to exist but the idea that the world is a different entity from Brahman vanishes and a new consciousness that Brahman is Sarvatva is generated. Mark this idea carefully: ''Al l is Self. All is One. All is B rahman." You will be perfect i n sel fless service if you entertai n thi s idea.
Trataka Trataka is steady gaz i ng at a particular point or object without wi nki ng. This is specially intended for developing concentration. Though this is one of the Shat-Karmas (six purificatory exercises) of t he Hatha Yoga, yet it is very useful for the students of Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Raja Yoga, also. There is no other effective method for the control of mil'ld. A steady gradual practice w i l l improve eyesight. I t removes all eye-troubles. Many have thrown away their spectacles after taking to this practice. Wil l-power i s
PRACTICE OF YOGA
54 developed.
Vikshepa
is
destroyed.
It
steadies
the
mind.
C lairvoyance, thought-reading, psychic Powers and other Siddhis are obtained. Keep a picture of Lord Krishna, Rama, Narayana, Devi or your chosen Deity in front of you. Look at it steadily without winking. Gaze at the head; then at the body; then at the legs. Repeat the same process again and again. When your mind calms down, look at a particular place only. Be steady till tears begin to flow. Then close the eyes and mentally visualise the picture. Trataka can be done on a black dot on a white wall in front of you. Draw the picture OM (�) on a piece of paper and do Trataka. It can be done at the space between the two eyebrows, the tip of the nose, the internal Chakras, the sun, a star, or a lamp. For the description of the other five purificatory exercises of Hatha Yoga, you may refer to my book ' Kundalini Yoga. ' A l l these are types of Tapas mentioned as a preparatory process in what Patanj ali
calls
Kriya Yoga.
Tapas
is
intense austerity.
Sense-control in any degree is austerity. Control of speech and mind is the greatest austerity.
What is Bhakti? lsvara-Pranidhana is a form o f B hakti Yoga. Bhakti is the slender silken thread of Prema that binds the heart of a devotee with the lotus-feet of the Lord. Bhakti is intense devotion and supreme attachment to God. Bhakti is supreme love towards God. It is the spontaneous outpouring of Prema towards the Beloved. It is pure, unselfish, divine love or S uddha Prema. It is love for love ' s sake. There is not a bit of bargaining or expectation of anything here. This higher feeling is indescribable in words. It has to be sincerely felt by the
devotee.
Bhakti
is
sacred higher
emotion
with
sublime
sentiments, that unites the devotee with the Lord.
Fruits of Bhakti Bhakti
softens
the heart and removes jealousy, hatred, lust,
anger, egoism, pride, arrogance, etc. It infuses joy, divine ecstasy, b liss
and knowledge.
It
helps
the devotee to be
always
in
communion with the Lord. All cares, worries, fears, anxieties, mental torments and tribulations entirely vanish. The devotee is freed from the Samsaric wheel of births and deaths. He attains the immortal abode of everlasting peace, bliss and knowledge.
PREPARATION FOR YOGA
55
Characteristics of a Bhakta A devotee has these characteristics. He has equal vision for all. He has no enmity for anybody. He has exempl ary character. He has no attachment for anything. He has not got the idea of 'mineness.' He has a balanced mind in pain and pleasure, heat and cold, praise and censure. He regards money as pieces of stone. He has neither anger nor l ust. He regards all ladies as his own mother. The name of Lord Hari is always on his lips. He has al ways i nner life or Antarmukha Vritti . He is fu ll of Santi . and b l iss.
Japa Japa is the repeti tion of any Mantra or the name of God. There are three varieties of doi ng Japa viz., Vai khari (verbal), Upamsu (whispering) and Manasic (mental) . The frui ts of Upamsu Japa are one thousand ti mes more than the Vai khari . The e fficiency of the Japa is accentuated according to the degree of concentration . The mind should be fi xed on the Deity. Then only you w i l l real ise the maximum benefits of a Mantra. Every Mantra has got tremendous force. A Mantra is a mass of Tej as or radiant energy. It transforms the mental substance by produci ng a particular thought movement. The rhythmical vi brations produced by repeating the Mantra, regulate the u nsteady vi brations of the Pancha Koshas ( fi ve sheaths). It checks the natural tendencies of objecti ve thoughts of the mi nd. It helps the Sadhana-Sakti and reinforces it. Sadhana-Sakti is strengthened by . Mantra-Sakti . Mantra awakens superhuman powers, when the Mantra-Chai tanya is awakened. It purifies the mind, removes Mala or i mpurities and sins. It purifies the Nadis and the Pranamaya-Kosha. Japa of any Mantra for one or two years is necessary i n the vast majority of persons for effecti ng Chitta-Suddhi . The Mantra finally takes the aspirant to his Ishta Devata. Make it a poi nt to repeat a Mantra some thousands dail y. According to your i nclination and taste, select any one of the fol lowi ng Mantras. Have Sraddha and a keen desire for l iberation. Repeat the Mantra with concentration as much as you can. Use a Maala of I 08 beads. Japa should be done neither very slowly nor quickly. Prahlada had Darshana of Hari by repeati ng the M antra of Narayana, Dhruva by repeating the Mantra of Lord Rama. Why not you also cross this terri ble Samsara by the method of Japa?
CHAPTER FIVE
YOGIC PHYSICAL EXERCISES AND PRANAYAMA Benefit of Yogic Exercises The practice of Yogic exerci ses is conducive to health and longevity. It regulates the action of heart, l u ngs and brain. It promotes digestion and circulation of blood. It removes all sorts of di seases. Its object is to enable one to possess a high standard of health, vigour and vital ity. These exercises constitute the practice of Asanas, Pranayamas, Mudras and Bandhas. As a prel iminary course, the students have to practise Shat Karmas or the si x purificatory exercises, viz., Dhauti, Basti, Neti, Nauli, Trataka and Kapalabhati . For higher advancements in the spiritual path, one has to take up to Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. To ensure success and perfection, a beauti ful combination of various exercises of Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Jnana Yoga i s desirable. Patanjali Maharshi defi nes that "Sthirasukham Asanam. " Any steady, comfortable posture is Asana. The practice of Asanas is important for Hatha Yogi ns, Raja Yogins and Bhaktas who medi tate on Saguna B rahman. For a J nani, no Asana of a specific nature is needed. He can meditate even i n sleeping posture (Murdhasana), lying in an easy-chair or while wal king. Generally persons after 40 years of age w i l l find it difficult to sit in Padrnasana conti nuously for three hours. The bones and muscles have become rigid. Elderly persohs, when they get tired after an hour, can lean against the wall and can stretch their legs. A corner of a room should be selected for this purpose. They can get support from the sides of the two walls. This is a most comfortable posture. When they meditate in a sleeping posture, sleep supervenes . Thi s is the troubl�. They must be on the alert. Young people shoul d practise Padma or Siddha Asana for meditative purposes and various other Asanas that are i ntended for keepi ng up Brahmacharya and good health. ·
Asana Jaya or Asana Siddhi is gained if you are able to sit steadily l i ke a statue for full three hours continuously. I prescribe the practice of Asana for three hours during the first year's course of practice. When you get pain in the legs while practising Asana
YOGIC PHYSICAL EXERCISES AND PRANAYAMA
57
for t h ree hours. s t retch you r legs for a few m i n utes a n d aga i n s i t on
the
A sa n a . I n
the
course o f a year. you w i l l
be perfect
i n the
prac t i ce o f A s a n a .
Padmasana Padmasa n a m e a n s ' l o tus-pose ' . T h i s is k now n as K a m a l asana. Padrnasana a n d S i ddhasana are best s u i ted for pu rposes of J apa, med i t at i on . and
for the
pract i ce of Pranayama.
Sit on t h e gro u n d by sp re adi ng the legs forward. Then p l ace the
foot over the left thigh and the left Keep the h a n d s o n t h e k n e e -jo i n ts .
right
You c a n m a ke a k f't a n k l e . Face the
fi n ge r- l oc k a nd north or east.
k ee p
foot
over the right th i g h .
the locked hands over t he
Siddhasana N e x t t o Pa d r n a s a na
comes Siddhasana in importance . If you get mastery over t h i s Asana, you w i l l acq u i re many S id d h i s Even fa t t y persons w i th big t h i gh s can prac t i se t h i s A s a n a very easi l y. You n g Brah machari n s who attempt to get esta b l i shed i n ce l i bacy .
shou ld pract i se t h i s A s a n a .
at the anus and keep the other heel at the root of the gcnerative organ. The feet or legs should be so nicely arranged that the a n k le -joi n t s should touch each other. Hands can be pl aced P l acc o n e h e el
as i n Pad rn asa n a .
B ooks on Hatha Yoga eulogise the merits and advantages of Padrna and Siddha Asanas to a very high degree. He who sits on any one o f the Asanas even for 1 5 mi nutes dai l y with closed eyes, c o n c e n t ra t i n g on God, destroys all s i n s and gets Moksha. These Asanas are useful to cure rheu matism and to ke ep the system in proper order. They purify and strengthen the nerves of t h e legs and t h i g hs. They are s u i table very much for mai ntai ning B ra h m ach a ry a .
Sirshasana fourfolded blanket. S i t on the two knees. Make a finger-lock by interweaving the fingers a nd pl ace it on the ground upto the elbow. Keep the top of your head on thi s finger-lock or between the two hands. Slowly raise the legs ti ll they become vertical . Stand steadi ly as long as you can and then slowly bri ng the legs dow n . Do the Asana very s l o w l y wi thout any jerks. Whi le sta ndi n g on the head, breathe slowiy through the nose and never th ro u g h the mouth. S pread a
58
PRACTICE OF YOGA
When you begin to learn this Asana, you can place the palms on the ground one ,on each side of the head. You wi ll fi nd this easy to practi se. When you have learnt balanci ng, then you can take to fi nger-lock method. Ask your friend to assi st you to keep the legs steady or get the help of a wal l , in the beginning stage of your practice. Pundit Raghunath Shastri at Badari Narayana is very fond of this Asana and does it for 2 to 3 hours at a stroke. He says that this leads to natural Pranayama and Samadhi by itself. No other effort is necessary. There is one Yogi at Varanasi who enters into Samadhi in this Asa.na. If you watch the breath, you wi ll notice that it becomes fi ner and fi ner. ln the beginning of practice there will be sl ight difficulty in breathi ng . As you advance in practice, this vani shes. You w i l l fi nd real pleasure, exhilaration of spirits in this Asana. Sri P.V. Acharya does this Asana for 45 mi nutes morni ng and evening j ust before his meditation. He finds this h ighly beneficial for meditative purposes because the brain centres are supplied with a large quantity of blood. He has expressed thi s very often to me. They work very efficiently. In this Asana alone the brain can draw plenty of Prana and blood. You can hear the Anahata sounds quite di stinctly while practisi ng. Mark these sounds careful ly. Words wi l l fai l to descri be adequately the beneficial results and effects. This is a panacea, a cure-all, a sovereign specific for all diseases . Memory admirably i mproves. It heightens the psychic faculties. Great benefit is derived by sitting for meditation after S i rshasana. I t transmutes the sex-energy into Ojas-Sakti, spiritual energy. It energises, i nvigorates and vi vifies. In Yogatattva Upani shad it is said: "On the first day, the Yogi should stand on his head with the feet raised up for a moment. He should increase this period gradually every day. Wri nkles and greyness of hair w i l l di sappear within 3 months. He who practises only for a period of 3 hours every day conquers time." It hel ps B rahmacharya a lot. It ·a wakens the Kundal ini Sakti . I t re lieves congestion in the sem i nal bags and checks wet-dreams, spermatorrhoea. Eyesight i mproves .. Sri Takore Dwarak Si nghji of Sitapur, has considerably i mproved his eyesight by practising this Asana. All di seases of the eye, ear, nose, head, throat, stomach, genito-uri nary syste m, l i ver, spleen, lungs are removed. It removes deafness, gonorrhoea, di abetes, pi les, asthma, consumption, pyorrhoea, constipation, renal colic, syphil is, etc. It is a powerful blood-puri fi er, brain and nervi ne tonic. It augments the digestive
YOGIC PHYSICAL EXERCISES AND PRANAYAMA
59
rire, Jatharagni. I have introduced this Asana i n S itapur. There is a Sirshasana atmosphere now in S itapur. Many are practisi ng systematical ly and realising i ts miraculous effects. Lawyers, occultists and thi nkers w i l l highly appreciate this Asana.
Sarvangasana This is another important Asana. Lie on the back nat. S lowly rai se . the legs q u i te vertical . Support the back w i th the two ,hands. Th is is an easy Asana. Sirshasana · is a l i ttle . more difficult. Concentrate the mind on the thyroid in the neck. Practi s e thi s Asana from 5 to 20 minutes, twice daily. Press the chin agai nst the chest. Then slowly bri ng down the legs . . I am very fond o f these two Asanas. I general ly recommend these two Asanas, combi ned with Paschi mottanasana in variably to those persons who approach me. I have started a Sirsho-Sarvanga propaganda. These three Asanas alone can keep you in perfect health. You need not take any long walk or physical exerci se. Phys ical exercise draws the Prana out. Asanas send the Prana in. Asana distri butes Prana quite evenly throughout the different systems of . the body. So the effects are differ�nt in two cases. Asana is not only physical but also spiritual, as it awakens the serpent power, Kundal i n i Sakti, and as it forms the third Anga of the Raja Yoga. A particular Asana removes a particu lar di sease. Mark the wonderful power of Asanas. Sarvangasana centralises the blood in spi nal col umn and nourishes beautifully all the spinal roots of nerves. But for this Asana, there is no scope for these nerve-roots to draw a sufficient blood-supply. In this practice, the thyroid gland which is situated a l i ttle above the root of the neck is nourished properly. Thyroid gland is a ductless,. endocrine gl and . w i th a mysterious internal secretion which is absorbed directly into the blood. Thyroid takes a wonderful part in metabol i sm of the body, in growth, structure and development. Metabolism is the sum total of constructive and destructive · changes which go on, in the body. This thyroid operates in conj u nction with other ductless glands, such as pitui tary, pi neal in the brai n, supra-renal above the kidneys, li ver, spleen, testes, etc. If this thyroid is diseased, all other glands suffer. A vicious circle i s formed. Sarvangasana keeps a heal thy thyroid. Healthy thyroid means healthy functioning of all the organs of the body. Sarvangasana keeps the spine very elastic. Elasticity of the spi ne means everlasting youth. Sarvangasana awakens Kundal ini,
60
PRACTICE OF YOGA
checks wet dreams, removes consti pation, hel ps digestion, exhilarates the heart, purifies the blood, tones the nerves and brain and removes all diseases. Sarvangasana energises, invigorates and v i v i fies. A course of Sirsho-Sarvanga powerfully rejuvenates the hody and dispenses with monkey-gland grafti ng.
Paschimottanasana S i t on the ground . S tretch the two legs stiff l i ke a stick. Catch
the toe� with the hands. Place the forehead on the two knees slowly. You can bend sti l l further and keep the head between the thighs also. This reduces fat, and stimulates the digesti ve fire. This is useful in all diseases of the stomach, and for curing the enlargement of spleen.
Sukhapurvaka Pranayama ( EASY COMFORTABLE PRANAYAMA) Sit on Padmasana or Siddhasana in your medi tation-room, before the picture of your J shta Devata (tutelary Deity). Close the ri ght nostri l with the thumb. Draw i n the air very, very slowly through the left nostri l. Then close the left nostri l also with little and ring fingers of the right hand. Retain the air as long as you can comfortably do. Then exhale very, very slowly through the nostri l after re movi ng the thumb. Now half the process is over. Then draw air through the right nostril . Retai n the air as before and e xhale it very, very slowly through the left nostri l . All these six processes constitute one Pranayama. Do 20 rounds in the morn ing and 20 rounds in the evening. Gradual ly increase the number. Have a Bhava (mental attitude) that all the Daivi Sampat (divine qual itie s ) , e.g., mercy, love, forgiveness, peace, joy, etc ., are enteri ng your system along with the inhaled air and all Asuri Sampat (demoni acal qualities) such as lust, anger, greed, etc., are being thrown out along with the exhaled air. Repeat OM or Gayatri or any Mantra mentally during Puraka ( i nhalation ), Kum bhak
YOGIC PHYSICAL EXERCISES AND PRANAYAMA
61
B hastrika Pranayama As the bellows of the blacksmith constantly di late and contract, similarly, slowly draw in the air by both the nostrils and expand the stomach; then throw it out quickly (producing the sound l i ke that of bellows). Inspire and expire quickl y ten to twenty times. Then perform Ku mbhaka as long as you can, after a deep inhalation and expel it slowly. Perform this Bhastrika three times. You will never suffer from any disease. You will always be healthy. This relieves inflammation of the throat, i ncreases the gastric fire, destroys phlegm, removes diseases of nose and chest and eradicates asthma, consumption, etc. It gives a good appetite.
Sitali Pranayama Draw in air through the mouth (with l ips contracted and tongue thrown out) with the hissing sound of Su and fil l the l u ngs slowly. Retain i t as long as you can comfortabl y do. Then exhale slowly through both nostri ls. Practise this dai ly. It purifies the blood and quenches thirst and hunger. It destroys diseases l i ke indigestion, bilious di sorders, phlegm, Gulma, Pliha, consumption, fever and other diseases.
Maha Mudra Press the anus with the left hee l . Stretch the right leg. Take hold of the toe by the two hands. Press the chin against the chest. Contract the throat (not expe l l i ng the breath) and fi x the gaze ' between the eyebrows . The practice of this Mudra cures consumption, constipation, enlargement of spleen, i ndigestion and fever. In fact, it cures all diseases.
Uddiyana Bandha Exhale. Draw the muscular wall of the belly backwards with great force, so that it may touch the spi nal col umn. Practise five or six ti mes dai ly. Thi s reduces fat, relieves constipation, i ncreases digestive fire, reduces the enlargement of spleen and tones the bowels. He who practises this conquers death. It forces the combi ned Prana-Apana i nto the S ushumna. Thi s is the best of all Bandhas. Thi s is very good for health . Practise this dail y. It gi ves good appetite.
CHAPTER SIX
M I N D A N D ITS FU NCTIONS Essence of Sadhana A Raja Yogi slowly ascends the Yogic l adder along the eight steps, viz., Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadh i . He gets ethical training in the beginning to purify hi mself by the practice of Yama and Niyama. Then he steadies his posture, Asana. Then he practises Pranayama to steady his m i nd and to purify the Nadis. Then by the practice of Pratyahara, Dharana and Dhyana he gets Samadhi. Through S amyama he gets different Siddhis. He restrai ns all the mental modifications that arise from the mi nd. Hatha Yoga concerns with the physical body and control of breath. Raja Yoga deals with the mind. Raja' Yoga and Hatha Yoga are interdependent. Raj a Yoga and Hatha Yoga are the necessary cou nterparts of each other. No one can become a pe'rfect Yogi without a knowledge of and the practice of both. Proper Raja Yoga begins where properl y practised Hatha Yoga ends .. A Hatha Yogi starts hi s S adhana with his body and Prana, whi le a Raja Yogi with his mind; a J nana Yogi with his Buddhi and w i l l . This i s the chief difference. To get success in Raj a Yoga, one should have a thorough knowledge of the mysteries of the mind and the way by which i t is control led. The student of Hatha Yoga should try to awake':'! the Kundalini Sakti that l ies dormant in the Muladhara Chakra by Asana, Pranayama, Mudra and Bandha. He should try to unite the Prana and Apana, and send the united Pnina-Apana through the S ushumna Nadi . Heat is increased by retention of breath and Vayu ascends up along with Kundal ini to the Sahasrara Chakra through the different Chakras. When Kundalini is united with Lord S iva at the Sahasrara Chakra, the Yogi attains Samadhi and enJoys supreme peace, bliss and immortality.
Evolution of Mind Mind presents itself in 3 different phases. It begins with common-sense, and takes things as they appear to senses. It does not inquire whether they are real or ideal ; whether isolated in themsel ves or connected by some underl y i ng principle. The
MIND AND ITS FUNCTIONS
63
majority of mankind never go, and are i n fact, incapable of goi ng beyond the common-sense-view of the world. They are of opi nion that al l knowledge comes from without and the human brai n passi vely recei ves impressions of the external thi ngs. After c ommon-sens� has attained sufficient growth, scientific reason or scientific understanding awakes in a few who are intel l igent. The world, which appeared to common-sense as a series of events com i ng one after another without any essential connection among themsel ves, now comes to be regarded as a constant series of different phenomena linked together by the Law of Causation. Nothi ng is free: everything is bound up in necessity. Give the necessary causes, the desired effect wil l fol l ow. Scientists hold that the human mind cannot go beyond these phenomena and their unifying . laws. What b the noumenon, the life-giving principle of those Jaws, is a point where the scientific understanding stops. Anythi ng beyond these is terra incognita. Viveka or the philosophical sense then comes to the rescue of the scienti fi c despairer, consequent upon the thi nking ego bei ng tied down by the shackles · of necessity. The reflecting ego-the subject-has i nner conviction that it is free, although it moves in a circle of external objects bound, as it were, by the law of necessity. The want of freedom under which it seems to labour i s imposed upon i t b y an external pri nciple cal led mind, which, a s a ru le, makes no discri mination between subject and object. The phi losophical sense or reason tries to investigate the principle of unity, which is the point of reference of all different existences and which transcends the apparent diversity of things. All differences derive their meani ng, their very exi stence, from that truth of identity of subject and object, · which have been held up as antagonistic principles. The mind (as Antahkarana or the Chitta) has parts. It is not therefore eternal, has a beginning and has a l i mited extension, that is, it is a thing of finite dimensions. It i s radiant, transparent and light, l i ke the solar rays, and mobi le. It is a kind of radiant matter. Mind, in its essential nature, is consciousness. Raj asic mind i s atom ic. Sattvic mind is al l-pervading. S o mind is both atomic (Anu ) awl 's point and a l l -pervading (Vibhu). M i nd is atomic, because it can know onl y one thing at a time. It is a door-keeper that can al low only one person, one idea to enter at a time. When the Mala or impurity is removed, it becomes Sattvic and all-pervading. Sattva is the mind of Yogins. Super-mind i s
PR ACTICE OF YOGA
B rahman. Mental I ife is one. Owing to Vri tti Bheda (functioni ng aspect . one m i nd assumes four names, viz., M i nd, B uddhi , Chitta and Ahamkara. M i nd is not rigid, that is having the same configuration always, but elastic. It actual ly goes out l i ke a ray ( t houph not i n the act of knowledge al together leaving the body), to the object of perception, envelops it and takes i ts form. Vedanta holds not that m i nd is derived from matter in the physical sense, but they arc fundamental ly, and essentially one, that is pure consc iousness (Chit), stressing or energising one way or the other. They are di fferent modes of the one power (Sakti) as · � u bstancc-cnergy. '
Theory of Perception The m i nd ( Antahkara n a ) is with parts and can move in space. M i nd is a changing and differing thing. Mi nd is capable of movi ng from pl ace to place and assum i ng the form of the objects of perception. This going out to an object and tak i ng its shape i s actual. There is noth ing static in nature. The mind, in particular, i s al ways undergoing conscious o r unconscious modification. The mi nd is a radiant, transparent and l i ght substance and can travel l i ke a ray of l i ght through a sense-organ. Mind is thus an active force, a form of the general active power or Sakti . As the brain, the organ o f mind, is enclosed i n an organi c , sol id envel op, and in appearance c l osed, the i magination has a tendency to picture it as being i solated from the exterior world, though in truth it is in constant contact with i t through a subtle and constant exchange of secret act i v i ties. The m i nd i s not someth ing static, passive and mere l y receptive. It takes an active part in perception both by reason of its acti v i ty and the nature of that activity as caused by its latent tendencies, Samskaras. The fol lowing wel l-known passage from Vcdantaparibhasha gives an account of perception. "As water from a tank may tlow through a channel i nto a plot of land and assume its shape ( square, triangular or any other form ), so the radiant m i nd (Taijasa Antahkarana) goes out through the eye or any other sense-organ to the place where an object is and becomes transformed i nto the shape o f that object. This modification of the Antahkarana-stuff is cal led Vri tti." Professor P.N. M u kopadhyaya observes: "Western psychology gi ves us a one-sided view of perception: an external stimulus acting upon a sense-organ, e.g., an ether-wave acti ng on the retina. The m i nd goes out as a radiant energy and takes the shape of the object. The Antah karana is bel ieved to be a stuff that being Sattvic
MIND AND ITS FUNCTIONS
65
(consciousness-revealing) and Taijasa (radiant) can go out and invade the Tamasic ( ve i l i ng crust of consciousness in the form of object, Vishaya Chaitanya), envelope and infuse it by its own luminosity (somewhat l ike the X-rays which are themse l ves ordinari ly i nvisible, but make opaque things transparent) and thereby discover the essential identity between itself and the object; it is the fi nding out of this essential identity between consciousness as knower (Pramatri Chaitanya) and consciousness as the known (Vishaya Chaitanya) and that between consciousness as knowing (Pramana Chaitanya), and consciousness as object (Vishaya Chaitanya), which makes the substance of perception according to Vedanta."
Pure and Impure Mind There are two kinds of minds or rather two aspects of the m ind, the higher Manas and the lower Manas. Theosophists term the lower Manas as Kama Manas, the desire m i nd. The lower Manas is known by the names, Asuddha Manas, i mpure mind, i nstinctive mind, vegetative mind, etc. The h igher M anas goes by the name Sattvic mind, Suddha Manas or the superconscious mind. By annihilation of the mind is meant the destruction of the lower Manas or i nstinctive mind. The Sattvic mind always remains even in Jnani also. Jnani uses the mind and body as i nstruments. There is destruction of the mind with form (Svarupanasa) and without form (Arupanasa). S varupanasa or complete annihilation of the mind takes place in Videha Kaivalya. Destruction of the mind w ith form and without form goes by the names Gauna Manonasa and Mukhya Manonasa also. Sri Rama says to Sri Hanuman i n Muktikopanishad: "The destruction o f Manas i s o f two kinds, that with form and that without form. The destruction of that with form is of the Ji vanmukta; the destruction of that without form bei ng of the Videhamukta." When the Mala is completely removed, the instinctive mind dies away, and the Sattvic mind, higher Manas remains. When the Ji vanmukta leaves the body, the higher Manas. is completely annihilated. It is absorbed i n B rahman, as it is being converted into Chaitanya. A pure mind is Brahman i tself. Just as camphor in the presence of fire is turned i nto fire and absorbed in fire when burnt, so also a mind when purified becomes of the nature of B rahman. Just as water in the presence of salt, when a lump is placed in a basin of water, becomes saltish, so also m i nd . in the presence of Brahman, when p urified, becomes of the nature of Brahman.
6(
PRACfiCE OF YOGA
M i nd, when purified by the removal of six passions, becomes, your Guru. There i s a voice from the mind for every doubt that occurs i n your Buddh i . Train yourself to hear minutely with care the subtle, si lent voice. A l l knowledge comes from with i n .
. Mind in a J nani J ust as the m i n d assumes a fi ner state i n deep sleep, so also i n the case of a Jnan i , the m i nd i s i n subtle state. In N i rvi kalpa Samadhi , m i n d is not destroyed thoroughly. It assumes a fine state j ust as i n deep sleep. Otherwise, the various acts as done by a Jnani as eating, bathi ng, defaecation, etc., cannot be properl y expl ained. A Jnani n's body is kept up for enjoyment of Prarabdha. Enj oyment can be done only through Vrittis. Pleasure and pain can be experienced only through Vrittis. So the Jnani has these Vritti s to experience h i s Prarabdha. He may not be affected, as he i s identify i ng h imself al ways with the Svarupa, Brahman and not with this body. That is a different question al together. But the body is sure to be affected, if a carbuncle develops. M i nd, minus Vritti s , with Samskaras, only is termed potential mi nd. Mind keeps company with two things, either with the objects through Vrittis during perception or with Samskaras . . In Savikalpa Samadh i , this form of potential m i nd exists. A Raja Yogi , in his Savi kalpa Samadhi operates through this potential mi nd. If th i s potenti al m i nd is al so destroyed, you enter i nto pure Nirvikalpa Samadhi . A J nani enters i nto Nirvikalpa Samadhi or Asampraj nata Samadhi or N i rbija Samadhi (Samadhi without seeds or Samskaras) through simple thought. A Hatha Yogi enters i nto Samadhi by awake n i ng Kundali n i . To enter i nto Samadhi by si mple thought i s far more difficult than by awakening Kunda l i n i . A wasp secures a caterp i l lar, puts i t i n the comb, gives a severe sting on the worm several times and closes the comb. The caterp i l lar cannot forget the painful sting of the wasp. It constantly remembers the wasp and by constant thi nking of the wasp develops i nto a wasp and emerges out of the comb. So, an aspirant of the J nana Yoga, has the mental picture of the Upani shadic Brahman formed through Sravana and Manana, constantly medi tates . on thi s picture and becomes that p icture, Brahman, according to this analogy. As he thinks, so he becomes. The m i nd · becomes that on which i t i ntensely meditates. It infmitely expands and merges i n Brahman. The m i nd is both atomic and
MIND AND ITS FUNCTIONS
67
al l-pervading also. M i nd can only attend to one message at a time received through the senses. It cannot see, hear, smell at the same ti me. So the m i nd is atomic. When purified by Samadhi , i t expands, and becomes all-pervading. When you stand on the sea-shore and survey the i m mense sea, the mind expands. You fee l highly delighted. A similar pleasure i s experienced with expansion of mind when you have a look around from the top of Mussorie hills. When you have a view of the vast plai ns of Rajasthan, the m i nd expands. When you come out from the medi tation-room and look at the i nfi n i te blue sky, the m i nd expands. Mark these experiences carefully.
Mind-A Frightened Bird A hungry hawk chases a bird for i ts prey. The bird runs away and enters a room in a house for protection. It comes out. It is agai n chased by the hawk. Again i t enters the room. Again, it comes out. Again it is chased by the hawk. The bird gets fear and restlessness. S i mi l ar is the case with the mind i n the begi nning of meditation in the begi nners. It tries to go to the Yathasthana, again comes out, flutters like the frightened bird from objects to objects. Again it moves a bit towards i ts original seat. Again it comes out. By constant and steady practice, you w i l l have to withdraw the mind away from the sensual objects and fix it firml y on the Atman by i ncessant Nididtiyasana. Thinking, concentration, effort to separate from the body and the Bhavana of your being the si lent witness of the mental modifications should go hand i n hand. A subtle i ntel lect sharpened by meditation, strength and exertion are the three essential factors i n success. Patience of a strong type, Dhriti, Utsaha, a quality of the vital will are absol utel y indispensable for reachi ng the goa l . These virtues should be cultivated slowly and steadily. Avoid u nnecessary worry. Be not troubled. Be not anxious. Do not be idle. Do not waste time. Do not worry yourself if there i s delay in further progress� Wait coo l l y. You are bound to succeed if you are s incere, if you have a strong Mumukshutva, if you have a strong Vairagya. A bird tried to empty the waters of the ocean with the blade of grass. It went on with redoubled energy in the act of emptyi ng. Such must be the case with you with reference to strong patience, and strong perseverance.
Mind-A Mischievous Monkey You must remember that y o ung Brahmacharis are always mi schievous. They w i l l play the truant. A Brahmachar! was once
68
PRACTICE OF YOGA
crossing the Ganga in a boat with some people from Swargashram to Muni-ki -Reti. There was a young monkey also i n the boat. There was a toddy-seller also with his pot of toddy. The monkey drank some toddy out of the pot to its heart's content. The mischievous B rahmachari was play i ng with the monkey. A scorpion i n the boat gave a sharp sting i n the monkey 's feet. The B rahmachari took a piece of broom-stick and pricked the monkey in its face. Now, see what happened. The monkey i s by Svabhava very mischievous. It drank a good quantity of toddy, an intoxicant. lt had a scorpion sting to boot. The B rahmachari fretted with the sharp broom-stick. Just i magine what would have been i ts mental state. The monkey became extremely turbulent and boisterous. It jumped from one corner of the boat to another. It created a lot of mischief. All the passengers moved to one side of the boat and the boat was capsized. S imilar is the case with the human, emotive mind. The mind is already saturated with passions, emotions, Vasanas, Samskaras, sensations, sentiments. You shove in a variety of passion-exciting stuffs, foods, stimulants, etc. You l i ve amidst exciting environ ments, theatres, shows, ci nemas. You engage yourself in the study of exciting novels. You talk on Anatma subjects. So, your position is in no way better than that of the monkey that capsized the boat. You have no mental peace even for a second. Cares, worries, anxieties and troubles kill you. You are tossed about hither and thither by Kama, Krodha, Raga and D vesha. You revolve in the eternal Samsara Chak�a. Acqu i re mental Vairagya, mental Sannyasa. Practi se Yoga, med i tation, Nididhyasana. Secure Sadhana Chatushtaya first. Meditation alone can save you to destroy the monkey-nature of your mind.
Mind-A Playing Child "Watch and Pray." This is the advice of Lord Jesus. Watch the mi nd. Watch the Vrittis or thoughts. Dri ve them. Extirpate them. Annihilate the thoughts. Kil l them. This method is done by Yoga or by the Will of the philosopher. If you are devotional, pray to God by total u nreserved, ungrudging self-surrender or Saranagati, Atmanivedana, Atmasamarpana. Your Ishta Devata will help you. If you watch the mind during meditation, you will observe it exactly behaves like a s mall child. The child goes to eat charcoal. Remove the child and give sweetmeats. When sweetmeats are finished, it again runs towards eating ashes. S i milarly, the mind runs about towards the old objects that were enj oyed previously. It
MIND AND ITS FUNCTIONS
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thinks of them constantly, intensely. That is its old habit. It will never leave. It tries to walk in the old groove. It walks for a short time, say fi ve minutes i n the beginni ng of meditation, i n the new groove, in the new channel, i n the new path of Saguna Murti or Nirguna, infinite l ight, and again runs for old objects. The child that is trying to walk , moves a few paces and falls down. It again gets up, agai n falls down. Even so, the m i nd meditates on the Lakshya (lsvara or Brahman), for a few minutes and again falls on the mire, muddy pond of objects. Again, you will have to l ift the mind from the dirty, muddy mire, i n which it has fallen. Coax and make it gay, cheerful , h i l arious, by positive sublime thoughts. You will have to elevate and expand the m i nd by sublime thoughts, j ust as a boy elevates in his game Gull i Danda, the s mall stick by giving a blow with his long stick and drives it in the air. El�vate the m i nd by sublime, spiritual thoughts and expand it by Brahmakara Vritti and fix it on Atman by steady constant practice.
Mind-A Wild Bull A certain landlord had a very wild bull. It would never eat grass or anything in his house. It will move about in his neighbours' fields, spoil their cultivation and graze on their plantations. The landlord tried his best to feed this wild bull in his own compound and fed it with good palatable cotton seed extracts, gram, bran, fresh grass, etc. As soon as it was let loose, it woul d i mmediately run to the old fields. The landlord wou l d again bring back the bull and feed nicely in his compound. After some days, the bull began to relish the food in his compound, never moved about to the fields. Similarly, the wandering mind can be quite easily controlled. There is no great difficulty for a steady S adhaka. The m i nd is l i ke the wild bul l . Fix it on S aguna Murti at first, either Krishna, Rama or Chaturbhuj a Maha Vishnu. As soon as the mind runs away, bring it back and fi x it again on the M urti, j ust as the l andlord did with his wild bull. When you are perfect i n Dharana by constant practice, you can take up Nirguna Meditation-meditation on an abstract idea such as: 'I am infi ni te, all-pervading Light. ' In course of time, by repeated practice, the mind w i l l not run towards objects. It will find real happiness from within, and merge itself i n Brahman.
Mind-A Wild Horse Suppose there is a wild, untamed horse i n your stable. It was brought , out for grazing, etc. It refuses to re-enter the stable. It
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ju mps out violently here and there i n the compound of your Bu ngalow. There are two methods to make the horse enter the stable. One is a violent, brutal method of whipping severely. The other is a gentle method of show i ng a l ittle grass or boi led gram just near i ts mouth. Do not al low i t to eat. Simply show. It will try to eat. It wi l l fol low you. Take to the stable. Lock the gate. S i m i l arly, the undisc i pl i ned mind is l i ke a wild horse. Pranayama and other Hatha Yogi c Sadhanas are violent and brutal in one sense. The gentle method is the development of Samata state of . mi nd. When you are established i n Samata state you wi l l have a novel pleasure, an i nfi nite bliss. Samata state should be obtained by slow me·n tal training. The two currents i n the mind. Raga-dvesha, attraction and repulsion, should be destroyed. Samata state i ncreases the development of the w i l l . All varieties of emotions emanate from thi s single emotion, Raga-dvesha. It i s these currents that drag you out to activity. They are the enemies of self-surrender. Destroy desires and egoism. K i l l out the Abhi nivesa, thirsti ng for l i fe, objects and sense-enjoyments. Develop Vi veka, Vairagya, Titiksha, Udasi nata, Vichara. Have constant S atsanga. These currents w i l l die out. It is these currents that create the ideas of pleasure and pain , friend and enemy, heat and cold, good and bad, the different Dvandvas. Dvandvas are i l lusory. You can convert pleasure i nto pain and pain i nto pleasure. A vegetarian goes to England to prosecute his studies. By mixing with people who take meat, he begi ns to taste meat. It gives him pai n, distaste, nausea to start with. He continues taking meat for some days. After the lapse of some weeks, he l i kes meat heartil y. In six months he can take 4 l bs. of raw meat at one stroke and becomes an i nveterate meat-eater. So i s the case with drinking also. A teetotal ler becomes an i nveterate, Pukka, establ i shed drunkard. Here, in these two i nstances, the objects, meat and alcohol, which were once objects of hatred and pai n , now give pleasure and love, and have become objects of pleasure and attachment. You have con verted pai n i nto pleasure by changi ng your idea, mode of thi nk i ng of these two objects. S uppose you are fond of tea, and you have taken up the spiri tual l i ne . Your Guru says: "Po not take tea. It spo i l s the system. It causes spermatorrhoea, wet-dreams. It is not good for spi ritual practice." As soon as you have heard these i deas, you give up the tea. You have changed your i deas about tea. The same thi ng that was g i v i ng you pleasure, now gives you pain . You have converted
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pleasure i nto pain-. M i l k gives pleasure to some, pai n to others. Milk gi ves pleasure duri ng health, pain during fever. M i l k gives pleasure when you take the first cup. The second and third cups cause vomiting. What is al l this? This is Maya. Pleasure and pain are relative terms . Pleasure and pain are not i n the objects, but are in the mind (due to Raga, Dvesha). Mango i s not sweet. The idea about the mango is sweet. Remember this always. Maya dupes you. Senses decei ve you wholesale. M i nd tricks, tempts, cheats, magnifies, exaggerates, unnecessarily alarms. Be always on the alert . Good and bad are in the mind only. Virtue and sin are in the mind on ly. Friend and enemy are in the m i nd only. A person, who is an enemy to you, i s a friend of another. The same person who was a friend before, i s an enemy now. Raga, Dvesha have no real Svarupa. They are i l lusory. Destroy them. Rest in Samata state. Acqui re Nirdvandva state. Rest i n peace.
Ever Control the lndriyas This is very, very i mportant. You can do nothing i n the spiri tual l i ne without perfect control of the senses. He is a Sthita Praj na who has mastery over the Indriyas. You can never go above body-consciousness, without perfect Pratyahara. Pratyahara is only possible through self-restraint, through control of the Indriyas. You cannot make Dharana without control of the senses. A rudimentary Viveka is l i kely to be annihilated, if you let loose again the Indriyas. The spiritual Samskaras also wi l l be wiped out, by a Rajasic revolt of the lndriyas. Great care should, therefore, be exercised always i n subduing these enemies of peace. Even Jnana Yogis should control the l ndriyas . Control of l ndriyas is Dama. Dama is one of the six qual ifications of the students of Jnana Yoga. Tongue is a worst enemy. Control of tongue means control of all Indriyas. Gi ve up salt for 3 years. The tongue can be easi l y control led. Take m i l k , rice, frui ts, saltless Dhal, saltless vegetable, sugar, etc. Observe Mouna for 2 years. You can control Vag-Indriya. Try to sit on Asana for 3 hours continuously. You can control the legs which give rise to conti nuous movement of the body. Pranayama, fasting, Sirshasana, Sarvangasana, Siddhasana all help in the control of reproducti ve organ. Trataka will not allow the eyes to run about wildly. Do Trataka on the tip of the nose whi le movi ng about. Yon i Mudra w i l l help in the control of ears i n the begi nni ng. Sleep o n a rough mat. Thus you can control all the organs of the body.
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Control the Wandering Mind You must know the habits and the ways of the mind. Then it will be easy for you to control the mind, to develop the wi l l and memory. One of the i mportant habits of the mind is the wandering habit. It cannot stick to one poi nt. It is l i ke air. Arjuna says in the Gita: "Chanchalam hi manah Krishna pramathi balavad dridham, tasyaham nigraham manye vayoriva sudushkaram. For the mind is very restless. 0 Krishna ! it is i mpetuous, strong and difficult to bend; I deem it as hard to curb as the wi nd." Lord Krishna gives his repl y : "Without doubt, 0 mighty-armed, the mind is hard to curb and restless; but i t may be curbed by constant practice and by dispassion." Chap. VI-34, 3 5 . Lord Krishna describes in clear terms the ways to check the wandering habits of the mind. Destruction of desires and the control of the senses are necessary for the control of the mind. It is the desire that makes the mi nd ever restless. The senses run after the objects and the mind also fol lows the senses, j ust as a dog fol lows the masteF. The rays of the mi nd get scattered i n sensual objects. All the mental rays are dissipated i n the acquisition, possession and enjoyments of sensual objects. Now the m ind thinks of hearing some pleasant music. At once it gives a command to the Karma-lndriyas and Jnana-Indriyas. The feet say : "Dear sir, Mr. Mind, we are ever ready to take you to the radio. We are waiting only for your orders. Come along. S tart." The ear also joins now: "Now sir, I am only wai ting for your company. I am more keen and anxious than you. . I am eagerly expecting when you will give me the command." This little hopeless Jiva fal l s into the meshes of thi s mind. After a l ittle whi le, tongue says: "Why are you cruel and partial to me? I am also as m uch a dear friend to you as the ears and feet. Now let us go to the City Restaurant or Taj Mahal Hotel. You can have first-class Harrison 's bun and K:ashmiri apples." After someti me the reproductive organ, gets excited, because he is the friend of Mr. Tongue. Both the organs are born of the same source, the same water-Tan matra. Tongue is born of Sattvic portion; hence it is J.nana I ndriya or organ of knowledge. Organ of reproduction is born of Rajasic portion and so it is a Karma Indriya or organ of action. After you have fi ni shed a rich sumptuous Rajasic meal, the reproductive organ gets excited and you become very passionate. Mr. Tongue says: "Do not ignore me. I am also your best friend. I only keep the life of this body. If I do not take any food, this body wil l perish and you will have to leave
MIND AND ITS FUNCTIONS this body." Reproduc tive organ says : "I only keep up this world show. This world wi l l come to an end had it not been for my acti vity. It is through me alone people procreate. So c.ome along. Join with me and satisfy me, j ust as you did with the ears and tongue." In this way man runs after the five kinds of sensual pleasures and has no rest even for a second. The mind runs i n these grooves in company o f the five Jnana I ndriyas and this l ittle Ji va. Therefore, if you want to check this wandering habit of the mind, you w i l l have to renounce all sorts of desires and control the senses .first. Then you wil l be successful in your practice of concentration, meditation and w i l l -culture. I carrie across several educated people duri ng the course of my lecturing campaign i n the Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Kashmir and A ndhra Pradesh . They asked me : "Dear Swamij i , how to concentrate and meditate? We are meditating for the last twel ve years. We have· fou nd no improvement." The simple reason is that they are not doing meditation i n the right, scientific manner. They have not purified themsel ves. They have not renounced the desires of this world. They have not discipl i ned the senses. Without having these preliminary training and discipli ne they are trying to concentrate. Is this possible? T his is something l i ke trying to tie an infuriated elephant with a slender piece of silken thread. So Lord Krishna gives the method to curb the wandering hStbits of the mind: "Abandoning without reserve all desires born of the i magination, by the mind curbing the aggregate of the senses on every side, little by little, let him gain tranq u i l lity by means of reason control led by steadiness; having made the mind abide i n the Self, let him not think of anything. As often as the wavering and unsteady mind goeth forth, so often reining it, let h i m bring i t under the control o f the Self.'.' Now mark carefu l l y the words of Lord Krishna's i nstructions : "Al l desires should be abandoned without reserve.'' Most of the Sadhakas keep some desires for their satisfaction. Some desires l urk in the mind. Householders who practise concentration cannot leave some of their desires. They keep them for their secret gratification. Hence energy leaks. and they do not get any improvemen t. They rise up five steps and suddenly fal l from the spiritual ladder. Perfect dispassion is necessary for checking the wandering mind or mental oscillation or tossing. The senses m ust be curbed on every side. Mark the words 'on every side.' Control
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of one sense alone w i l l not do, A l l the senses must be controlled from every side. This is another important point. As the practice is difficult and tedious, you m ust not be discouraged. You will have to wait patiently for results . Some people do Sadhana by fits and starts. They practise concentration for six hours daily for three months. When they see that they have not found any tangible resul ts in the shape of Siddhis they give up the practice. So Lord Kri shna says: "Little by l ittle do the practice and be steady in the practice:: Abhyasa con�ists in bri nging the mind again and again back to the point and fi xing it there. This is call ed Dharana in Yoga phi losophy. Dharana means fix i ng or concentrating the mind on a poi nt or Lakshya. When the wandering mind becomes one-poi nted, the state is called Ekagrata or one-pointedness of the mi nd. The subject of concentration is disgusting and tiri ng for the neophytes. But it is the most i nteresting and beneficial science in the world. When one advances in concentration, when one takes real i nterest, when one has realised some benefits, he cannot leave the practice. He cannot remai n even for a day without concentration. He becomes restless when he fails to have the practice even for a day. Concentration brings supre me joy, spiritual strength, unal l oyed fel icity and infi nite eternal peace: Concentration bri ngs profound know ledge of the Truth, deep i nner sight, intuition and communion with God. It is a wonderfu"l science. 1 cannot adequately descrfbe i ts benefits. Concentration on a chair real l y means getting fu l l , detailed knowledge of the chai r, its different parts, the particular wood out of which it is man ufactured such as Devadaru, Rosewood, etc., its workmanship or finish, its durability, its cost-price, the degree of comfort it gives for the back, anns, etc ., whether it is light ·or heavy or portable for travel ling purposes, whether the parts can be detached and fixed agai n, whether it is n'lanufactured on modern l i nes and made bug-proof, what sort of polish or varnish is used to make it durable, etc. When you concentrate on the chair, these sorts of ideas on ly shou ld occupy your mind. Mind general ly wanders wi ldly at random. When it thinks of one object, in a second it l eaves the present object and runs to another object l i ke a monkey, then to a third object and so on. It cannot stick to one point or object for sometime. If you carefu l l y watch the wandering mind you will find that there is connection though the mind wi ldly roams about like an
MIND AND ITS FUNCTIONS unchained mon key. The l aw of association operates always, tho.ugh the li nks are broken . The m i nd may think of a book, then the bookstall from where he has purchased the book, then a friend whom he met at the rai lway station when he was purchasing, then of rai lways, of the Directors of the Railways, who l ive in London. The thought of London may bring in the idea of skati ng. From skating it may ju mp to Alps . . It may think of pine-trees, consumpti ve hospital, open air treatment. The thought of a pine-tree w i l l bring i n the remembrance of Almora and its vici n i ty where pi ne-trees grow. The thought of Almora w i l l bring in the thought of Swami Vi vekananda, who founded the Advaita Ashram at Mayavati near Al mora. It may entertai n some divine ideas of concentration and meditation on Advaita Brahman. Suddenly it may drop down to base sensual grooves. It may th ink of the prostitutes of A l mora. It will entertain l ustful thoughts. All these w i l l take place within the twi nkling of an eye. The mind works and moves with a tremendous speed that is not imaginable. It catches one object and fabricates one i dea and through association, it leaves this obj ect and this idea and j umps to another object and another idea. There is a sort of concentratio·n all throughout its wanderings, though the concentration i s not a conti nuous one. When the thought runs i n one defi nite groove conti nuously, on one subject alone, l i ke the flow of oil, then it becomes concentrati on . The aspirant should withdraw tl)� .mi nd whenever it runs outside and put it i n the same groove, i n the same l i ne of thought on one subject, on one idea. This is spiri tual Sadhana. This is Yoga-Abhyasa. This is Dharana and Dhyana. This will result in Samadhi or supercons�ious state. The mai n aim in concentration is to bri ng the mind to the same point or object agai n and agai n by li miting i ts movements in a smal l circle i n the begi nni ng. A time wi ll come when the m i nd w i l l stick to one point alone. This i s the frui t of your constant and protracted Sadhana. The joy is i ndescri bable now. When you meditate on a chair bring all thoughts connected with the chair and dwell on these ideas. Do not al low any other thought connected with some other object. There must be one l i ne of thought as conti nuous as the sound of a bel l . There may be several ideas connected with one subject. This does not matter. You can reduce the number of ideas and come to one idea of one subject. When this one idea also dies you get Samadh i . When there is one i dea it is Savi kalpa Samadhi-:-a lower stage. When there is not even a
PRACTICE OF YOGA .s i ngle ide a, the mind becomes blank. There is mental vacui ty. This is the stage of thoughtlessness of Raja Yoga phi l osophy. You will hav e to rise above this blank Vritti and i dentify yourself with the S upreme Purusha or Brahman, the silent witness of the m i nd who gives power and l ight to this m i nd. Then alone you reach the highest goal of l ife. The m i nd is Jada (insentient) but it appears l i ke Chaitanya by borrowing the l ight from the Adhishthana or source-Atman, j ust as water exposed to the sun �
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ears to pay attention to the external sounds. Fix the gaze at one poi nt. Do not allow the eyes to wander. When you �tudy one subject, do not think of a talkie or sweetmeats or a fnend. The whole world m ust be dead for you for the time being. Such . m ust be the concentrat ion . It wil l come to you after some steady and constant practice The ever-restless m i nd becomes quiescent when all desires vanish. Desire raises Sankalpas. Man performs actions for acquiring the desired objects. Thus he i s caught up i n the w heel of Samsara. This wheel stops when Vasanas perish. Ahankara, S ankalpa, Vasana and Prana have i ntim ate connection with the m i nd. There cannot be any mind without these four. Prana is the life of the mind. Ahankara is the root of the mind. Sankalpas are the branches of the tree of mind. Vasana is the seed of the mi nd. This deep-rooted tree of S amsara of dire Ajnana has the mind as its root. It ramifies in various directions with branches full of flowers, tendrils, fruits, etc. If thi s root-mind-is destroyed, the tree of Samsara, this tree of birth and death will also be destroyed. Cut this root-mind-with the axe of Brahma-Jnana. Chop off the branches-the S ankalpas-with the knife of Viveka and Vairagya.
Thought-culture This is a vital subject. Very few people know thi s art. Even educated people are not aware of this fundamental education. A l l have random thinking. All sorts o f l oose thoughts of various k inds come and go in the mental factory. There is neither order nor harmony. There is neither rhythm nor reasoning. There is neither concord nor . organised working. There is neither system nor discipline. Everyth i ng is in chaos and utter confusion. There is no clarification of ideas. You cannot thi n k on one subject even for two minutes i n an orderly and systematic manner. You have no understandi ng of the laws of thought and the laws of mental · plane. There is a perfect menagerie i nside . All sorts of sensual thoughts fight amongst themselve s to enter the mind of a sensualist and gain the upper hand. The eye-Indriy a struggles to bring its own thoughts. It wants to have s ight-seein g. The ear-Indriy a wants to hear radio music and so on. In the vast majority of persons, only base thoughts, lustful thoughts, thoughts of hatr�d. jealousy and fear exist in their m i nds. They cannot entertain even a single subl i me di vi ne thought even for a second. Thei r m i nds are so framed that the mental energy runs in sensual grooves.
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Every man has got h i s own mental world, h i s own mode of thinki ng, h i s own way of understandi ng thi ngs and h i s own way of acti ng. Just as the face and voice of every man differ from another's, the mode of thi nki ng and understanding also differ in every i ndividual . That is the reason why m i sunderstandi ng easily occurs between friends. One is not able to understand rightly the views of another. Hence, friction, rupture and quarrel occur within a m i nute even amongst fast friends. The friendship does not last for a long time. One should be i n tune with the mental vi brations or thought-vi brati ons of another man. Then only one can easily understand another. Lustful thoughts, thoughts of hatred, jealousy and sel fi s h ness produce di storted images i n the mind and cause clouding of understandi ng, perversion of i ntellect, loss of memory and confusion in the mind. Every thought has got i mage, form, dimension, weight, shape, colour, etc . Thought is as muc h a matter as a piece of stone. Thought moves and passes from one man to another. Thought in tl uences people. A man of powerful thought can influence read i l y people of weak thoughts. Telepathy is the branch of occult scie nce wherein the Yogi can transmit messages to any man in any part of the world. Telepathy was the first radio system in this world known to Yogi ns and occultists of ancient days. A thought of anger or hatred sends arrows from the mental factory towards the person aimed at, harms the i ndi vidual, sets up di scord and disharmony in the thought-world, and comes back again to the sender and harms the sender also. If one can understand the e ffec t and power of thought, he will be very careful in t he man u facture of h i s thoughts in his mental laboratory. One should de velop the facu lty of produci ng pure, Sattvic thoughts by protracted mental discipl ine, dietetic adjustment, good company, study of di v i ne b 10ks, Japa, medi tati on, Pranayama, prayer, etc. A good man can h lp h i s friend even though he l i ves at a long di stance by good t houghts. You must not allow any evil thought to enter your mental factory. Al ways watch your thoughts. Avoid useless and base thinki ng and reserve or conserve your mental energy. Energy is wasted in idle thinking. K�ep yourself always occupied i n doing virtuous actions and study of re ligious books. You can thereby cultivate good, subl i me thoughts . Destroy random thinki ng. Take a subject and thi nk on its different aspects and bearings. When you thi n k on one subject never al low any other thoughts to enter the conscious mind. Again
MIND AND ITS FUNCTIONS wi thdraw the m i nd t o the subject o n hand. Take for i nstance, you begi n to t h i nk on the l i fe and teac h ings of S ri San karacharya. T h i n k of h i s b i rthplace, h i s early l i fe, h i s character, h i s personal i ty, h i s virtues, h i s preachi ngs, h i s wri tings, h i s phi l osophy, some of h i s i mportant passages, the S iddh i s that he e x h i b i ted from t i me to ti me, h i s D i g v ij aya, h i s four disciples, h i s four M uths, h i s commentary on the Gita, the Upani s hads and the Brahma-Sutras . Think of these i tems one by one in order. Exhaust them. Again and again bri ng the m i nd to the poi nt . Then take up another subject. By this practice you will develop organi sed thi nki ng. The mental i mages w i l l gai n i ntense strength and force. They w i l l become clear-cut and wel l -defined. In ordinary persons the mental i mages are di storted and undefi ned. Every thought has got an i mage. A table i s a mental i mage plus some external somet h i ng . All outside objects have got their counterparts in the m i nd. The pupil is a small rou nd thing in the eye. Ret i na is a small structu re. How i s i t that the i mage o f a big mounta i n seen through a small aperture or structure is cast on the m i nd? How does the big form of a mou nta i n enter a tiny hole in the eye? This is a great marvel and wonder. The i mage of the mountain already exi sts i n the mind. The m i nd i s l i ke a big, vast, sheet of canvas-cloth that contains al l the pictures of the objects seen outside. You must have know ledge of the mental l aws, viz., law of assoc iation, law of relati vity and law of contiguity. Then you can develop thought-culture easi ly. You can . remember thi ngs through the l aw of association. Brahmacharya and pure Sattvic diet are esse ntia! for thought-culture. Mind is nothi ng but a collecti on of Samskaras. It is nothing but a collection of desires arising from contact with different objects. It is also a col lection of fee l i ngs aroused by worldly botherations. It i s a collection of ideas gathered from different objects. Now these desires, ideas and fee l i ngs constantly change. Some of the old desires arc constantly departing from their storehouse of the mind and new ones are replac i ng them. If all the thoughts are el iminated, then there remains noth i ng which can be called the mind. Therefore thoughts are the mind. There is no such thi ng as the world, i ndependent of and apart from thoughts. Two thoughts, however close ly related to one another, cannot exi st at the same time .
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Mental Factory Now, I w i l l take you to the description of the most wonderful mental factory which i s very clos� to you, which i s the wonder of wonders. Even a rank material i st, if he is very sincere, will be turned w ithi n a second i nto a perfect theist if he closes his eyes for a second and seri ously reflects on the working of this marvellous factory. There is a Director of this mental factory and the direct percepti on of thi s Director, through the purification of mind and spi ri tual practices of concentration and meditation, can bri ng Self-reali sation, freedom, perfection and i mmortal ity. I have to hammer on your mind very often about the importance of Self-realisation which alone can gi ve real bliss, and about the existence of God who is the source for this mi nd, wil l and memory. It is He w l:to g i ves l i gh t and power t<;> this little m i nd. Do not forget thi s poi nt. Brahman (Absolute) i s the si lent witness of thi s factory. Hi ranyagarbha is the supreme Director of this "factory. Hiranyagarbha i s the sum total of all mi nds. He has to manage and supervise the whole cosmic factory. Every man has his own indi vidual men tal factory. He who dwell s i n the mind, who i s within t h i s m i nd, whom the mind does not know, whose body i s the m i nd, and who rules the m i nd from within is your Self (Atman), Inner Ruler (Antaryami ) , Immortal (Amri tam). Salutations unto thi s I nner Ruler who i l l um inates the mind and· the mental factory. Just as the i ron-piece moves i n the presence of a magnet, so also this i nsentient mind moves and works i n the presence of the Inner Ruler. Thi s point has not been properly understood by the western psychologists, rationa l ists, free-th i n kers, communists and · soc i al i sts. Hence they are restless and are groping i n utter darkness. The vi bration of psychic or subtle Prana manufactures thoughts in the m i nd . If you can clairvoyantly v isuali se the i n ner w orking of thi s mental factory, you w i l l be dumbfounded. Just as the operator i n the tel ephone-office plugs, connects and disconnects the different switches when he recei ves messages .from various centres, so also the m i nd puts plugs, connects and disconnects. When you want to see a thi ng, the m i nd puts a plug i n the other four centres of hearing, s me l l i ng, tasting and fee l i ng. When you want to hear, it plugs the other four centres. The m i nd does an action with tremendous l ightning speed. You can clearly see the numberless
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pigeon holes in the subconscious m i nd or Chitta, where various sorts of things are recorded in perfect order. They are classified, grouped and label l ed with accurate and precise denominations. You wil l see that the subconscious mind works with tremendous activity and preciseness just as the head-sorter works in the mai! train. One i mpression rises up as a thought-wave and comes to the surface of the mind for tickl ing the Ji va for action. You w i l l see various colours of thoughts. If there is a spiritual or holy thought, you will find that the thought is ti nged with beautiful yellow colour. If there is a thought of anger, dark red arrows w i l l shoot out from the mind. Various shades of colours w i l l be seen according to the nature of thought. You w i l l find perfect order i n cosmos. The working i s very smoeth and harmonious, because there is the Antaryami behi nd. He directs and guides. Just as in the presence of a King the D i van and other officers work smoothly, so al so in the mere presence of the Inner Ruler, the indwell i ng, interpenetrating Presence, the mind and other inner faculties work without any friction. The eyes and the ears are the gatekeepers of this magnani mous mental factory. They are the 'way i n ' for the entry of the vibrations from outside. Mouth is the 'way out. ' The eyes and ears bri ng matters inside the mental factory for manufacture. Light vibrations and sound vibrations are brought inside through these two avenues. The mind w i l l make them as percepts and then present these percepts to the Buddhi (intellect). Then the Buddhi converts these percepts i nto concepts or ideas. These ideas are expressed by the outside gate-keeper, Vak-lndriya, the organ of speech. Just as the raw sugar-cane j uice is treated with so many chemicals for purification, passed through various settl ing tanks, cooled, sol idified, transformed as pure crystals, and is packed in bags for deli very at the rai lway station, so also mere l ight-vibrations and sound-vi brations are turned into powerful ideas old 'concepts' of various descriptions in this mental factory. The external physical eyes and physical ears are only Bahya Karanas (external i nstru ments). But the real visual and audi tory centres are i n the brain and in the astral body. These centres are the real I ndriyas. U nderstand this point well . The Buddhi receives the materials from the m i nd and presents them to the Purusha or Atman who is behind the screen. B uddhi is the Prime M i n ister to Purusha. He is more close to Purusha than the mind, as he is the Prime Minister. Mind is the Commander and has the five soldiers
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( five Karma-l ndriyas) to execute his orders. He is the advocate who places the facts before the Judge, Buddh i . M i nd i s the head-clerk of the mental factory. He has ten clerks-five Jnana-lndri yas to bri ng news and matter from outside and five Karma- l ndriyas to execute his orders. As soon as the facts are pl aced by intel lect before Purusha there flashes out Ahankara. The Buddhi recei ves back the message from the Purusha, decides, determi nes and gi ves back to the mind for execution. The five Karma- l ndriyas Yak , Pan i , Pada, Upastha and Guda (speech, hands, feet, genitals and anus) execute the orders of their master, the m ind. Antahkarana or the i nner i nstrument is a broad term which includes m i nd, i ntel l ect, memory and Ahankara. The one Antah karana assumes fou r forms according to the various functions it performs , j ust as one man assumes the name of a Judge when he work s in the court; President, when he serves in a society or association; Chairman, when he presides i n a meeting; and a storekeeper when he is in charge of a store. When you pass along a mango garden, the mi nd does Sankalpa-Vi kalpa (wi l l and doubt). It thinks whether it is a good mango or not. The Buddhi comes to its aid. It determines and says : "This is a good mango." The Chitta does Anusandhana (enquiry). It says: "I w i l l find out methods to get mangoes. I w i l l find out the owner of the garden. I w i l l purchase from h i m .'' Ahankara self-arrogates: "I must have th is mango at any cost." Then the mind gives the execution to the Karma-l ndriya, feet. The feet take the man to the gardener. Ahankara purchases the mango and eats. The impression of the mango remai ns in the m i nd and a Vasana is formed in the mind. The thought of enjoyment comes back to the mind later on through memory i n the form of a subtle Vasana. Vasana produces Sankalpa and the man wants to enj oy the taste of mango agai n. This cycle of thi ngs, viz., desi re, thought and action, i s goi ng on from eterni ty and has brought bondage for man. When the Vasana is repeated several ti mes, it becomes a strong passion or strong desire. The man fi nds it d i fficult to control passion and becomes a slave of passion and fndriyas. A strong sense-hankeri ng is cal led Trishna. The di fference between a desire and a Vasana is that the Vasana is subtle and hidden i n the subconsci ous mind, whereas desi re is gross. The pleasure deri ved from the enjoyment of sensual objects brings attachment. Attachment is death. Attac hment is Moha. The man, who is ful l of sense-Vasanas, is
MIND AND ITS FUNCTIONS tied to various objects. Escape becomes difficult for him. Escape is cinly possible by destroying these knots by knowledge of the Director of this mental factory who has kept up this show i nside. There are different regions for senti ments, emotions, i nstincts and impulses. There are highlands and lowlands in the mind. There are subtle realms and gross regions . There are the pl ane of insti ncti ve mi nd, plane of i ntellect and spiritual plane. There is the region of Suddha M an as, pure mind and the region of the Asuddha Manas, the i nstinctive or lower m i nd. On one side the w i ll-power will step in to execute certai n strong desires of the mind and the various other faculties such as memory, D harana Sakti, etc., wi ll stand behi nd in a disciplined array to help their master-wi l l . After w i l l has executed one order, i magination w i l l come forward and speculate another scheme. Memory will help the imagi nation. The three Gunas, various moods, the thirteen evi l Vri ttis (lust, anger, etc . ) will show their faces in different colours. Just as in a talkie actors come and go in an electric speed, the various faculties come to the scene, work and retir� to their respective quarters and rooms for rest. The scene is simply thri l l ing and magnificent. Words cannot describe. You w i l l have to develop this clairvoyant astral sight through purification and concentration. If you practise introspection and self-analysis, you will ful ly understand the working of thi s mental factory and the circus that goes on in the menagerie of the mental pl ane. Do not forget the Director of this mental factory, who is your own Inner Self. He is waking up even when this mental factory is temporari ly closed at midnight. Try to meet Him by purify i ng the mind and by the practice of regular concentration. Develop all powers or faculties of the mind and get sanguine success in your life and eventually I I Il:rge 1 11 H i m
Memory-culture Memory-culture is very, very important, because it brings success in God-realisation as wel l . A forgetful man al ways fai l s in any endeavour. The manager gets displeased w ith a forgetful clerk. A forgetful man makes serious mi stakes again and again. A man with strong and retenti ve memory gets success in all his endeavours. He who has good memory can conduct his busi ness successful ly, can remember credits, debits and can keep correct accounts. A student who has retenti ve memory wi l l get success in every examination . Intel l igence is only ni ne-tenth of memory. The functions of Chitta are S mriti (remembranc e), Dharana (attention) and Anusandhan a (enquiry). When you repeat the
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M antra in Japa, it is the Chitta that does Smriti or S marana. It turns out better work than m i nd or Buddhi . S mriti is a separate faculty or category i n Vedanta. Someti mes it is Antargata (hidden). In Sankhya phi losophy, it is included in Buddhi . The Sanskri t term for memory i s Smriti. Smarana i s remembering. This i s the function of the subconscious m i nd or Chitta. The Samskaras of thinking and acting are deeply i mpressed in the Ch itta. The Chitta is l i ke the sensitive plate of a camera. All the impressions are i ndel i bly recorded there. Whenever you make . an attempt to remember past events or things, they come back to the surface of the conscious m i nd through the trapdoor. Just as the man enters the stage from the side curtai ns, just as the prisoner comes outside the jail through a small door i n the big main gate, so also the i mpressions come out through the trapdoor in the form of a big wave of thought or mental i mage. The term memory is used in two senses. We say: "Mr. John has got a good memory." Here it means that Mr. John 's capacity of the m i nd to store up his past experiences is very good. Sometimes you say : "I have no memory of that incidence." Here it means you cannot bri ng up to the surface of the conscious mind in i ts original form the i ncident that took place some years ago. It is an act of rememberi ng. If the experience is fresh, you can have a complete recall of your past experiences through memory. You do not get any new know ledge through memory. It is only a reproduction. In ordi nary recollection there is a temporal coefficient. In personal memory there is a specific coefficient. That which acts together with another is a coefficient. In mathematics the numerical or literal factor prefixed to an unknown quantity in an algebraic term is a coefficient. S uppose you have received a nice fan as a present from your ami able friend. When you use the fan, it sometimes reminds you of your friend. You think of h i m for a short ti me. This fan serves as Udbodhaka or S m ri ti hetu (cause of memory). A knowledge of the working of the subconscious m i nd is necessary for those who want to develop their memory. Most of the mental operations take place i n the subconscious m i nd. The conscious m i nd takes some rest, but the subconscious mind works throughout twenty-four hours. It is the subconscious m i nd that brings the answer l i ke a fl ash i n the early morni ng when you fai l to get a solution i n the n ight, even though you raked your brain for
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hours together. It i s the subconscio us m i nd that wakes y o u u p i n the morning when y o u -go t o sleep with a resolve: " I should catch the train at 3 .00 a.m." It is a most faithful servant, if you know the technique of manipulati ng it in a masterly manner. You can extract tremendous work from it. All the prodigies and geni uses know the art of handl i ng this portion of the mind. The Chitta analyses, sorts, arranges and takes out all old records from the various pigeon holes of the mi nd and produces a balance-shee t or a c lear statement of facts for your perusal and review w henever you want. Before you go to bed, give orders to Chitta to do any kind of work. It w i l l keep ready the answer in t.h e early morning. When you are in a dilemma, when you are confused, when you do not know what to do in a serious problem, place before it the nature of your difficulty and give orders to the Chitta for a defi nite solution. In the next early morning you wil l have a clear-cut answer. Try to do this practice. Then you wil l have wonderful conviction and strength. You will find this subconscious m i nd to be your very rel iable friend. A man of strong and retentive memory can turn out tremendous work in a twi n kl ing of an eye. He can master any subject in a short time. Mr. Johnson used to repeat passages after passages i n a few minutes by committi ng them to memory. His mother was quite astonished. His mother would ask him: "My dear chi l d, get this passage by heart." Before she ascends the upstairs, Johnson would follow her and say: "Mamma! Mamma ! I know this by heart." He would repeat the passage correctly. Look at the wonderful mem ory of the boy ! If you read the i ntroduction of Pranava-Vada written by Sri B abu Bhagawan Das of Benares, you will find that he col lected all the m atter of his big book in four vol umes by hearing the recitations from a Pundit. He was b l i nd from his very birth. He knew the contents of many books by heart. He knew the. numbers of the pages also. There was one person named Bhakshi Sur who l i ved i n a v i l l age near Lakhimpur-kheri. He had a wonderful memory. He was a b l i nd man from h i s very birth. He used to quote all the verses of Surdas and Tulas idas. How he l earnt this and how he committed this to memory is a great wonder. In olden days Sanskrit scholars got by heart all the Vedas. The Gurukul a-system of education has got i ts own advantages. It develops memory marvellousl y. Even now there are Sanskrit Pundits i n Varanasi who have committed to memory the whole of the Upanishads, the Gita, the Brahma-Sutras, the
. J?RACTICE OF YOGA Chitsukhi. the Advaita Siddhi, etc. There are small boys in the Darshan Maha Vidyalaya of Sri Raghavachari, M uni-ki-reti, Rishi kesh, who have committed to memory the eighteen chapters of the G i ta. Gurukula-system of education is wonderful. Our students of universities cannot remember even a single passage. You can reproduce a passage nicely after reading it only once. You can preserve a fact of a passage for a considerable period and reproduce it at once without any difficulty whenever it is needed. These are the characteri stics of good memory. Sri Chi ntamani of Al lahabad had a good memory. He could describe in detail any event or incident that occurred several years back. He could describe the life history of important men of the world in detail without any omission. I f your brother is a tal l man, the sight of a si mi lar man in another place w i l l bring to your mind the memory of your brother. Th is memory is due to the simi larity of obj ects. Suppose you have seen a dwarf at Madras. When you see a very tall man at Bom bay, this w i l l remi nd you of the dwarf whom you saw at Madras. The sight of a big palace wi ll remind you of a peasant's hut or a Sannyasin 's grass-hut on the bank of the Ganga. Th is memory is due to dissimi larity in objects . When you wal k along the road on a stormy day, if you happen to sec a fa llen tree, you concl ude that the tree has fallen owing to the storm . l n this case the memory is due to the relation between cause and etfect. S ubconscious mind is termed 'Ch itta' in Vedanta. M uch of your subconsciousness consi sts of submerged experiences, memories thrown i nto the background but recoverable. When you show symptoms of losing your memory, as you grow old, the fi rst symptom is that you fi nd it d i tficult to remember the names of persons. The reason i s not far to seek. All the names are arbitrary. They are like labels. There are no associations along with the names. The mind general ly remembers through association, as the i m pressions become deep thereby. Even in old age you can remember old events as there are associations with events. You can remember well in old age some passages that you have read in schools and col leges. B ut you find i t difficult to remember i n the evening a new passage you have read in the morning. The reason is that the m i nd has lost its Dharana S akti (power of grasping ideas). The brai n-ce l l s have been degenerated. Those .who overwork mental ly, who do not observe the rules of B rahmacharya
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and who are affl icted with much cares, worries and anxieties, lose their power of memory soon . The mental processes are not l i m i ted t o the field of consciousne ss alone. The field of subconsciou s mentation is of a much greater extent than that of conscious mentation. Message when ready, comes out l i ke a flash from the subconscious m i nd to the surface of the conscious mi nd through the trapdoor in the subconscious mind or Chitta. Only ten per cent of mental activities come i nto the field of consciousness . At least ni nety per cent of our mental life is subconscious. We sit and try to solve a problem and fai l . We walk around, try agai n and again fai l . When the subconscious processes are at work, suddenly an idea dawns that leads to the solution of the problem . A l l actions, enj oyments and experiences leave the i mpressions in the subconscious mind in the form of subtle i mpressions or residual potencies. The Samskaras are the roots for causing again Jati, l ife and experiences of pleasure and pain . Revival of Samskaras induces memory. The Yogi dives deep i nside and comes in direct contact with these Samskaras. He di rectly perceives them through the i nner Yogic vision. By Samyama (concentration, meditation and Samadhi) on these Samskaras, he acquires knowledge of prev ious l i ves. By doi ng Samyama on the Samskaras of others, the Yogi gets the knowledge of thei r past l i ves also. When you desire to remember a thing you wil l have to make a psychic exertion. You w i l l have to go up and down i nto the depths of the different levels of subconsciousness and then pick up the right thing from a curious mixture of multifarious, irre levant matter. Just as the rai l way mail sorter takes up the right letter by moving the hand up and down along the different pigeon-holes, so also the subconscious m i nd bri ngs the right thing to the level of normal consciousness. The subconscious mind can pick up the right th ing from a heap of various matters. A Sarriskara of an experience is formed or developed in the Chitta at the very moment that the m i nd is experienci ng someth ing. There is no gap between the present experience and the formation of a Samskara in the subconscious mi nd. With the help of subconscious mind you can change your vicious nature by cultivati ng healthy and virtuous qualities that are opposed to the undesirable ones. If you want to overcome fear, mentally deny that you have fear and concentrate your attention
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upon the opposite quality, the i deal of courage. When courage is developed fear vanishes away by itself. The positive always overpowers the negative. This is Pratipaksha Bhavana. This is an infall ible l aw of nature. You can acquire a l i ki ng for distasteful tasks and duties by cultivati ng a desire and taste for them. You can establish new habits, new i deals, new ideas, new tastes and new character in the subconscious mind by changing the old ones. · I mportant Exercises I . Close your eyes. Imagine that there is a big garden . In one corner there are jessami ne: flowers, in another roses, in another champakas, i n another l il ies. First think of the jessamine flowers, then rotate the mind to roses, then to Champakas, and then to l i l ies. Agai n bring back the m i nd to jessamine flowers. Revolve the mi nd l ike this for 2 or 3 minutes. 2. Look at · the sky at night and count the stars in a small localised area. 3. On Thursday morning try to remember the dietetic preparations-vegetables, kind of Dhal, etc.- that were prepared on Wednesday. 4. S tudy one i mportant S l oka from the Gita, find out parallel l i nes in the Ramayana, the Bhagavata, the Upanishads, the Yoga-Vasishtha and the Bi ble, and connect al l these passages and keep them in your mental disposition or pigeon-holes of the brain . 5 . Bring back to memory the word 'VIBGYOR' and try to remember the various colours such as violet, i ndigo, blue, green, yel low, orange and red. Coin your code-words to help you for remembering these seven colours. Every one of you can have your own code-words. ·
6. Try to remember synonymous terms . This w i l l i ncrease your vocabulary of words and you w i l l be able to write beautiful essays and del i ver exce l l ent lectures. You w i l l become an able journalist. You can wri te good books. Take for i nstance the word compassion. Try -to bri ng out the synonymous terms such as pity, mercy, l i berality, generosity, etc. 7 . The sight of a wrist-watch brings the recol lection of your friend from whom you received thi� watch as a present. The law of association is of great help i n developing your memory. 8. The remembrance of a word that ends i n ' ity' , l i ke cupidity, w i l l bring i n through association the words stupidity, avidity, etc. The remembrance of the word that ends in 'tic,' l ike romantic, wil l
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bring to memory other words such as fantastic, etc., that have a similar ending. I n this way you can remember thi ngs. You will have to group things l i ke this in your various pigeon-h o les of the brai n or m i nd. Connect one thing or event with another of same nature. Then all these things will come back to your memory quite readily. 9. Coin your catch-words, some that start with A, some with B , some with R , so me that end with 'tion, ' some with ' ness,' etc. Here are some sentences: "An Australian army arrived at Aurangabad. Be bold but be benevolent. Cunning camels carried caravans. Doctor Dadabhai died during Dipavali . Exami nation is a great botheration among the Hindu nation whose sole occupation is cultivation. If you do not want to study, hang that matriculation, take to meditation and attain salvation. Nididhyasana or meditation will give you Self-reali sation. This is my firm conviction after mature deli beration and careful consideration." This i s only a specimen for you. You can do it i n your own way. Every one of you has creative power. Assertions and affirmations are very useful for developi ng your memory. Meditate and assert with the following formulas. Remember them several times a day. 1 0.
I have a very strong memory I can remember thi ngs now nicely My memory has very m uch i mproved I have a strong retentive memory
OM OM OM OM
OM OM OM OM
OM OM OM OM
I I . I shall speak a word on keeping a memorandum notebook.
Daily j ot down in the notebook as soon as you get up from the bed in the early morning the various kinds of works that you have to attend in the course of the day and see whether all have been carried out. Give a tick to each item as soon as it is finished. Again in the night, before you go to bed, try to remember all the acti vities you have done during the course of the day. 1 2. Take six cards from a p acket and see them very carefu l l y. Then place them i n front of you with the face downwards. Through memory jot down in a piece of paper their exact description in the same order as you saw. You can s lowly i ncrease the number to twelve. 1 3 . Lie down in an easy-chair comfortably. Take the photo of your father and minutel y see it. Close your eyes. Just try to bring out a clear description of some of his distinct physical
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characteristics and marks on the body, such as his aqu i l i ne nose, curly hair, the condition of his eyes, forehead, lips, ears, chest, whether broad or pigeon-breast, arms whether si newy or thin, whether there is symmetry in his l imbs, the condition of his teeth, his gai t and physiognomy, his special qual i ties that attract people, his nature of voice, special marks or moles on the different parts of the body. After seeing once any great man, try to bri ng out the special qual ities and features that have arrested your attention. 1 4. Through law of association connect one idea with several other ideas. The i dea of coffee w i l l bri ng the i dea of the Nilagiri H i lls where it is grown and the i dea of the Stane's Company who sell coffee-powder and the idea of the founder of this company. Through the law of similarity, you may remember the other places in the world where coffee i s cultivated. You can remember the advantages and disadvantages of coffee. The idea of coffee will bring in the idea of similar beverage l i ke tea and the name of Li pton and his vast busi ness in tea. All these ideas wi ll flash out in the mind i n the twi n k l i ng of an eye. Keep a small notebook in your pocket. Whenever good ideas flash in your mind, then and there jot them down. Take hints. Later on you can develop them. Jot down in your diary the lessons you have recei ved from great Mahatmas.
1 5 . J ust walk bri skly along the busy road in your town. Have a
keen acute perception. See what is goi ng on i n this centre of business. As soon as you reach home, jot down on a piece of paper the names of fi rms and the important articles that are exposed in the show-room outside and other particulars. Next day walk along the same road and verify your jottings whether you have omitted any item. 1 6. Try to remember the different makes of motor-cars such as Studebaker, Ford, Chevrolet, Rol l s Royce, B aby S inger, Austi n, etc. , with their prices. Recollect the names of different philosophers of the world i n the East and the West and their important books and teachings. Compare the Eastern and Western phi losophies. The memory of gross things i s more easy than the memory of events or philosophical i deas. Events can be more easi ly remembered than names of persons because there are associations for events. Names are arbitrary. There is intimate connection between memory and keen observation and acute heari ng. M i nd thi nks on objects that are seen or heard. One who
MIND AND ITS FUNCTIONS has developed his power of hearing and see i ng can have better memory. 1 7 . There is another exercise . Just i magi ne that there is a canvas-sheet i n front of you that contai ns the pictures of n i ne animals. In the first top row, there are lion, leopard and cow. In the second l i ne , there are horse, zebra and bear. In the third row, there are elephant, buffalo and tiger. First try to remember the animals in the first row, then in the second row, and then i n the third row. Now try to remember i n this order from above downwards, viz., lion, horse, elephant; l eopard, zebra, buffalo, cow, bear and tiger. You can change the order i n many other ways l i ke algebraical formula or permutation and combination. Exercises on the memory of different ki nds of gross and subtle sounds, on different k inds of tastes of food, on different ki nds of touch of various articles, on shades of colours, etc., can also be practised.
I 8 . Read one or two pages in a book. Then close the book.
Remember the important ideas and try to reproduce them in your mind. Write down in a notebook the contents either in your own way or bring out an exact reproduction. Compare and contrast these passages with other passages contained in other books. Draw conclusions and inferences. This practice will develop your memory wonderfully and you wil l remember for a long time whatever you have studied. Mark the i mportant passages with red pencil on the sides of the book and have bl ue or red underl i n i ng wherever it is necessary. In underli ning do not blot out the words. Make thin underl i nes. Keep the penci l sharp. Take down notes of what you have read and turn over the pages of the notebook which contai n all the i mportant points in a nutshell once in a week. From these notes try to reproduce the passages in ful l .
I 9 . Practise self-analysis or self-exami nation for
mi nutes before you go to bed. Sit comfortably in a chair. Close your eyes. Think of al l the good and bad actions that you have done duri ng the course of the day. Think of all the mistakes that you have done consciously or unconsciously, witti ngly or unwittingly. On the first day you may not be able to fi nd out even two or three actions or mistakes. Because you are not in the habit of doi ng so. By dai ly practice you will be able to vi sual i se clearly the actions and mi stakes of the day. Even an hour wi l l not be sufficient to review the actions. The mind becomes subtle and sharp by practice of introspectio n. It goes more i nward. It dissects, analyses, groups, classifies and brings the l ist of actions in the twinkling of an eye. 10
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This practice w i l l deve i op your memory wonderfu l l y and reduce the number of mistakes and wrong actions. A time will come when you w i l l do only good actions and you wi ll not commit even a si ngle mistake. Benj amin Franklin had thi s kind of practice. You can note down i n your diary all the actions and mistakes the same night or on the fol lowing morni ng. 20. Study several times the eighteen chapters of the Gita. Try to remember the S lokas according to different headings such as those S lokas which treat of Viveka, Titiksha, Vairagya, Sadachara, development of qualiti es, as described i n the thirteenth and sixteenth chapt�rs, three kinds of Tapas mentioned in the seventeenth chapter, the three kinds of food described in the seventeenth chapter, Sl okas which concern the practice of Pranayama, concentration, B hakti, Jnana, Hatha and Raja Yogas, control of m i nd, etc. You m ust group them, in your mind. This is another exercise for your memory-culture. After some time, you can reproduce the whole Gita in any order you l i ke without omitting even a l ine. 2 1 . Develop the power of describing exactly a cricket, football or a tennis match. Observe a match. As soon as you reach home give a complete detailed description of the match. When you return from your long vacation from your native place, make out a statement of how you spent your time there and your everyday programme in detai l without referring to your diary. 22. Try to remember the richest persons of the world such as H .E . H . The Nizam, Rockfeller, Ford; the biggest ri vers i n the world such as the M ississippi, Missouri, Amazon, Nile, Brahmaputra, Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari , Sarasvati, Narmada, Sindh u , Kaveri . In this way you can try to recollect the greatest musicians, poets, politicians, scientists, the biggest mountains, lakes, waterfalls, cities, plains and temples of the whole world.
Instructions on Memory I . A lways keep a piece of paper and a penci l i n your pocket or
a diary. B usy people and those who want to grow into a prodigy should always take down notes then and there even while walking. They can take hints or shorthand notes in their own way and can develop them at their leisure hours. Whenever good ideas roll in your mind, at once jot down i n your pocket notebook. This is the secret of success. Practise, fee l and enjoy. Mere theorising will not do. B ecome a practical man. I always hammer on this point several times and I am not tired of doing so. I want you to become
MIND AND ITS FUNCTIONS great man of high ideals, not i n the unknown future but right now in this very second. Give your ful l heart to me. I can raise you to lofty heights in the twi nkl i ng of an eye. I have got my own way of developing a man quickly and perfectly. I have a strong desire for service but I do not get the right type of aspirants. Attend a conference and reproduce the speeches or lectures in your own way and send them to newspapers. You can become a first-class reporter and an able journalist. Visit B adari Naranaya or Gangotri and take down notes. Give a full description after you come to your place. A l l these practices will develop your memory. 2. You must know the art of extracting work from the subconscious mind. If you want to remember forgotten passages i n Shakespeare, just give a definite command to the subconscious mind before going to bed. On the fol l owing morning it will place them like a flash before you. Even if it fails to bring in the next morning, again give the command on the next day. In the followi ng day you may get the answer. 3 . Sometimes a judge has to wri te summary of the evidences and has to prepare j udgments. His brain sometimes gets confused. He gets bewildered. He is not able to arrive at a proper concl usion .. In such cases the subconsCious mind will beautifu l ly work for him. It will arrange the facts and figures in order and place before h i m a clear summary. H e will have t o simply reproduce them on paper in the fol lowing morning. In matters which demand too much thinking and long del i beration, you w i l l have to wait for some days for getting an answer from the subconscious mind. 4. A doctor has got good memory in the remembrance of drugs, because he has great interest in the treatment of diseases. He cannot remember even a si ngle item in political matter, because he has no interest in thi s subj ect. A lawyer can remember all the rulings of the Allahabad High Court, Bombay High Court and Madras High Court. He cannot remember a few things in the cricket match, because he has no interest in cricket. You will have to create interest first in a certai n subject and the memory of things will come automaticall y. One should be perfect in one subject and should have a general knowledge of all subjects . A versatile or all-round nature i s highly creditable or laudable. Try to become a versatile genius. A strong and retentive memory, a powerful will and the practice of daily concentration and meditation will certainly develop your will and memory. 5 . A strong ma·n will have a very good memory. A weak
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del i cate man of poor health wi l l have a bad memory. Health plays an i mportant part in memory7culture. Therefore, try to keep a high standard of health, vigour and vitali ty by proper food, exercise, etc. 6. Organs deteriorate if you do not use them properly, j ust as hands and legs get atrophied by disuse and are developed by muscular exercises and activity. There is i nti mate connection between sight and memory, and hearing and memory. He wil l have very good memory, who has an acute sight, a keen perception, a keen power of observation and an acute hearing. There are counterparts of these external organs i n the i nternal astral body. They are cal led astral senses. A Yogi hears through astral ears and sees through astral eyes and thus develops clairvoyance and clairaudience. He can hear sounds from distant places and see objects that are in distant locali ties. 7 . General l y people are very careless. They have no interest to learn higher thi ngs and knowledge. There are mill ions of people in I ndia who cannot sign their names even. I ndia, the land of Rishis and sages, sti l l abounds in ignorance when compared with America and the continent. Even a smal l boy who brushes the boots and applies pol i sh i n the streets of London knows politics, reads newspapers and can disc uss things nicely. The masses of India are steeped in ignorance and darkness. The root cause is carelessness, i ndifference and cold apathy. 8. To get success in l i fe, to become an able doctor or a l awyer or a good businessman, the ears and the eyes should be considerabl y developed. A b l i nd man or a deaf and dumb man is practi cal ly a dead man in the world. A l l wealth and knowledge . come from the ears, eyes and the organ of speech. These l ndriyas are the Ayatana (receptacles) for riches and knowledge. The knowledge of the sense-uni verse comes through these two channels and is expressed by speech to others. 9. Whenever you move about, you should be very alert. You must keep the eyes and ears sharp. You m ust try to remember all th ings and news that you have seen and heard. You most develop the power of observation. Be very attentive. Attention helps observation. Interest and attention w i l l come through attention. Whenever a man tal ks to you give h i m a very patient hearing. If · there are useful and interesting points, then and there note down i n your pocket diary. Go through the pages o f the diary once a week. I 0. Keep a watch very close to the ear and hear the "Tic Tic"
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sound careful ly. On the second day keep i t at a l ittle distance and hear the sound. Every day increase the distance and tra i n yourself to hear the sound.
1 1 - 1 2. Keep your ears keen. Try to differenti ate the sounds of
various ki nds, of birds, ani mals, children, the sounds of factories, cars, aeroplanes, motor-cycles, shrieks, yel l ing, snoring, sobbing, crying, laughing, mocking, joking, and the cry of animals, birds, etc. Sit in a quiet room. Close· your eyes and try to concentrate on th�se sounds. Disti nguish them. You must be able to find out from heari ng the voice of a person at a distance from within your room that such and such a man has come. There are people whose voices have some resembl ance. You must be able to find out that the voice of Mr. R. Banerjee resembles the voice of your cousin Mr. Ganga Ram. You m ust be able to find out the nature of different Ragas (tunes) from the nature of vibrations and undulations, such as Kalyan i , Thodi, Bhairavi, Durbar, Malkose, etc.
1 3 . Try to hear the sounds of the heart by applying your ear to
the chest of another man. You w i l l hear two sounds: "Lub-Dhub." Pay heed to the sounds of sparrows and other birds and try to differentiate their sounds. Sometimes they sing . . At other times they give a sound of alarm to i nvite their mates and friends when there is i mpendi ng danger. Animals and birds have got their own languages. Yogins can understand their languages. There is a particular technique i n Samyama on sounds. Some males have the voice of a female and some females have the voice of a male. You must be able to differentiate. You must be able to know the hissing s.o und of a cobra, its nature, strength of v ibration, etc. Even at a distance you can say : "There is a cobra i n that room." Dogs, horses and elephants are very intelligent. They have got simple consciousness. They laugh and smile and express their feelings of joy and gratitude by certain sounds. You must be able to understand the nature of the sounds. By these practices and careful observati on you w i l l have a wonderful power of hearing and memory. You can get on well in your business and avocation. Sharp ears and keen sight bring good results.
1 4. Whenever you meet a person look at his figure carefu l l y
from top to toe and mi nutely note down his various features, condition of his eyes and eyebrows, teeth, arms and his voice, behaviour, look, gait, etc. There are many people who are not able to give a description of their friends with whom they are movi ng
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for several years. The son is not able to describe exactly the physiognomy or marks on the face of his father though he is living with him in close coritact for a number of years. The obvious reason is that the son has not developed the power of observation, sight and memory. One cannot become a skilful scientist unless he has an acute power of observation. He has to observe the various phenomena of nature and draw conclusions and i nferences. He has to col l ect facts and figures to study the l aws of nature. Enter the drawing room of your friend and notice carefully what all things you fi nd in the room. Then close your eyes and reflect. Then come out of the room and note down in your notebook all the things i n the same order i n . which they are kept i n the room . Then enter the room and verify your statement. Practise this for some months. You will develop wonderful power of sight.
1 5.
1 6. Enter a li brary room and note carefully all the books that are placed i n two rows of the al mirah or shelf. Close your eyes and reflect. Then note down in your diary and then verify. Let there be mistakes. It does not matter much. A time will come when you will not make a si ngle mistake. You should be able to pick out a friend i n a big crowd by noticing the nature of his gait and. movement of his l imbs at a distance. 1 7 . There was a blind man at Sri nagar in Kashmir, who could tell the nature of colours by si mply feel i ng the cloth. What a wonderful development of the power of touch he had ! It is all a question of trai ning. At night you cannot see nicely. The power of seei ng becomes dul l , but the power of hearing i s intensified. This is compensation in nature. There are some deaf and dumb people who are very i ntell igent. They do good work in composing in the pres s . When one organ becomes defecti ve, another organ gets more developed. The energy of the organ that is not in use is uti lised by the other organ and it grows rapidly. Nature is very merciful and i n telligent. There are people who cannot remember more than two things at a time. There was a soldier who could not remember the ingredients of gun-powder even though he was in the cordite factory for months together. This is due to the ill-development of the faculty of memory. 1 8 . A j udge in the court should have an acute hearing. Then only he will become an able j udge. He can write down quickly all evidences without any mi stake . A commander-in-chief should have an acute sight. Then only he can have survey of al l the i nfantries and cavalries. He can have a clear vision . of the enemies on the
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other side even at a very long distance. One will have to devel op the power of hearing and power of attention . The development of these two organs .is of a great help i n the practice of memory-culture. In some the organ of hearing is more developed. In others the power of sight is more developed. Dogs have got an acute nose. Prakriti h as shown marked i ntel ligence in the creation of bei ngs. Cobras have got acute hearing. They hear through their · eyes. They have not got separate ears. Tigers have acute nos�. They can smell blood at a very long distance. There is play of intel ligence in every i nch of divine creation. Songsters have acute hearing. They have developed it. They w i l l have to find out various kinds of undul ations in the vibrations of sounds which make differences in Ragas. The very profession i tself forces people to develop the particular organ which helps them i n the development of their science. 1 9 . Take up any exercise that suits you best in memory-culture and put it in dai l y practice. Keep daily . record. This is very important. Mere skipping over the pages will not do. You w i l l not be benefited. If you reall y want rapid improvement, if you want to become a real man, take down notes and put the lessons i n daily practice. You can watch your progress and correct your mistakes. I want to make yoll a practical man quickly. Keep a special notebook. Every month send me a copy of the exercises that you have done . I w i l l give you valuable suggestions on advanced courses for your success. I wi l l put you in the right path. If you are very earnest and si ncere you can find considerable i mprovement within three months. 20. For developi ng memory-power, you can select and practise some of the exercises given above. When you are a bit advanced, you must util ise the memory-power only in remembering the 1116i n items i n which you are concerned. I f y o u are a Sannyasin, you need not remem ber your younger days and schqo)-life. If you are a lawyer, you need not remember the different medicines and their prices. If you are a man of concentration and meditation, you need not remem ber the Dhal that you took on Friday l ast. A Tyagi wi l l remember many things and the several passages from the scriptures, but he cannot remember the exact number of coins he has in his purse. Energy and memory-power should be uti l i sed i n useful channels. Realise the importance of memory-culture and use .the memory-power in useful direction. This w i l l be of great help i n your everyday life. This wi l l help you a l ot i n the development of
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your · w i l l . Now I will pass on to will -culture, which plays promi nent role i n the practice of R aj a Yoga.
a
Will-culture Wi l l-culture is another i mportant Sadhana. This is useful to all spiri tual aspirants. Wil l i s Atma-Bala. Wil l is a dynamic soul-force. Wil l can work wonders and miracles if it is rendered pure and i rresistible. There is nothing impossible for a man of strong wi I I to achieve in the three worlds. The vast majority ' of persons have no consciousness of a will or mind or intell ect, though they talk much on wil l and mind. The will has become impure and weak through Vasanas. When a desire is controlled it becomes changed i nto w i l l . The sexual energy, muscular energy, anger, etc., are al l transmuted i nto will-force when they are controlled. Fewer the desires, stronger the will is. , Wi l l is the king of all mental powers . Wil l is Iccha-Sakti. Prana is Kriya-Sakt i . Intel lect is Jnana-Sakti. When the will operates all the mental powers such as power of j udgment, power of memory, Dharana-Sakti, power of grasping, reasoning and discriminating, power of inference, power of reflection, etc., come i nto play within the twi nkling of an eye. They come to aid the will-power, their master. D ivine w i l l is all-powerfu l . God wills and everything comes into bei ng the very second. Man wills, but it takes a long time for attai n i ng a thi ng or m aterialisation of the desired object as his will is weak. Man thinks, wills and gets the desired objects after some ti me. If the w i l l is pure and strong, man also gets the object in the twin kl ing of an eye. Mere wish w i l l not suffice for attainment. You must have definite aim and p urpose. Wish or desire is a small ripple in the mind-lake, but wil l is that power that executes the desires. Will is vol i tion. It is the power of choosing or determi ning. Sat-sankalpa is the pure will of Jnanins. They can do anything by Sat-sankalpa. Chudala wanted to test her husband Sikhidhvaja. She wil led and created an i maginary husband · for her. She wi l led and stood up in the air to convince her husband of her powers. Immedi ately S i khidhvaj a accepted her as his Guru. Nimbarka Acharya willed that the sun shoul d not pass beyond the n i m tree that was i n front of his house. The sun obeyed the orders. Shams Tabriez, a Yogi of Multan, willed that the sun should come down to roast his meat. The sun obeyed his orders
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immediately. These people had strong wil l-power. If you also wi l l l i ke this i n the beginning when you are a neophyte, when you have . developed your wi ll to a very small extent, you cannot succeed. Visvamitra had a strong w i l l . Therefore he created a third world for Trisanku . Sri Dattatreya had a strong will and so he created a woman by mere w i l l i ng . J nana Dev had a strong w i l l by which he made the Maszid to move. All Jnanins and Yogins have very strong w i l l . Look at Sri Mahatma Gandhij i . He i nfluenced the whole world in a tremendous way by his irresistible will-power. Unruffled state of the mind, poise, cheerful ness, i nner strength, capacity to turn out difficult works in a miraculous manner in a short time, success i n all undertakings, power to infl uence people, a magnetic dynamic personality, magnetic aura in the face, sparkling eyes. steady gazing, powerful voice, a magnanimous gait, unyieldi ng nature, fearlessness are some of the signs of a man of great will-power.
How to Develop the Will Attention, power of endurance, forti tude in suffering, Tapas (austerity) such as standing on one foot, sitting i n the hot sun or standing in cold water in wi nter, raising the hands above and keeping them in the same position for a �ong time, fasting, patience, command of temper, forbearance, clemency, firmness in meeti ng danger, power of resistance of attack, Satyagraha, keeping up daily diary, Japa of any Mantra-all pave a long way in developing the wi l l . Uninterrupted steady practice of the above with fi rm faith will enable you to develop your will to a high degree. One should patiently hear the words of others even though they are not interesting and attractive. He should not fret himself. Patient hearing develops will and wins the hearts of others. One should do actions or tasks that are not interesting. This also w i l l develop the will -power. The actions that are not i nteresti ng w i l l become interesting after some time. Try to live happily in any pl ace under any condition. Your will will become strong and dynamic. This is a great secret. Keep thi s in your pocket and unlock the elysian regions of the spiritual realms and the immortal abode. You can get success in any undertak i ng. You can conquer any difficu lty . . The practice of concentration is of great help to strengthe n the w i l l . You must have an intell igent understa nding of the nature of
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the mind, how it wanders and how i t operates. You must know easy and effective methods to control the wandering mind. The practice of concentration and memory-culture are allied subjects. All these are of great help in .the development of will-culture. You cannot draw a demarcation-line to denote where the practice of concentration or memory-culture ends and the practice of will-culture begins. There is no hard and fast rule. The force of Brahmacbarya i s at the back of the w i l l . No w i ll-culture i s possible without Brahmacharya. Will is another name for the force of cel i bacy (Virya-Sakti) . Every drop of semen i s a magnetic force. Constant repetition and meditation on the fol lowing formulas will doubtless develop your wi l l-power. ·
My wi I I is pure, strong and irresistible I can do anything through my wi ll now I have an i nvincibl e will
OM OM OM OM OM OM OM OM OM
You must really feel as you repeat the above formulas. Meditation on the immortal Atman will develop the wil l-power. This i s the best method. Do not use the will i n wrong directions. You wi l l have a hopeless fal l . Do not test the strength of your will in the begin ni ng. _ Wait till i t becomes strong, pure and irresistible .
. Instructions on Will-Culture
I . One who wants to become a magnetic and dynamic
personali ty or a prodigy or a genius should uti l i se every second to the best possible advantage and should try to grow mentally, morally and spiri tuall y every second. Idle gossiping should be given up entirely. Every one of you should realise the value of time. Wi ll is bound to become dynamic, if one utilises one's time very profitably. Application and tenacity, interest and attention, patience and perseverance, faith and -self-rel iance can ma:ke a man to be a worl d-figure. 2. You w i l l have to apply your w i l l according to your capacity. Otherwise your will-power will deteriorate and you will be discouraged. This is one i mportant point. Make a programme of work accordi ng to your capacity and see that i t is carried out daily. Keep only a few items. If you keep several items which cannot be executed in a day, which are beyond your capaCity, your interest will slowly fai l and your enthusiasm will gradually decl ine. Your energy will be dissipated and scattered. Ypu will get brain-fag. Whatever you wish to do dai ly must be carried out to the very letter.
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3 . Thinking too much i s a hindrance on the execution by the
wi l l . It brings confusion, diffidence and procrastination. There i s slackening of the force o f w i l l . The opportunity w i l l slip away. You may hesitate to put the thi ng in action. Think for some time correctly and then decide. As soon as you have resolved, you m ust will immediately. There m ust not be any unnecessary delay. Sometimes you w i l l , but you do not succeed. This is due to l ack of right thinking and right feel i ng. You must think rightly and at the same time feel ri ghtly. Then the will is bound to succeed. Right feel ing should invariably accompany right thinking. 4. He who is attempting to develop the will should always try to keep up a cool mind. He should keep up a balanced mind u nder al l conditions. He w i l l have to perfectly discipline the mind. It is worth practising. Balance of mind is one of the i mportant characterjstics of a developed Yogi. That Yogi at all times is really a strong and happy man who can keep up a balanced mind. He will get success i n al l undertakings. You may fail to keep up the balance in fifty attempts. But from the fifty-first endeavour you will gain strength of w i l l . You w i l l slowly manifest balance of mind. You should not be discouraged i n the beginning.
5 . If a serious calamity occurs, your mind should not be upset.
Just keep the mind cool and calm . Have presence of mind. Do not cry over spilt milk. Anyhow it has come to pass. You w i l l have to face it with cheerful countenance. Try to make the best of thi ngs. Find out methods to . tide over the difficulty, to make matters smooth. Keep al ways an unruffled mind. Do not be carried away by undue sentiments and bubbling emotions. Control them. Reflect how the calamity or trouble or catastrophe has come. Devise suitable, effective, easy methods to tide over the crisis or trying situation. Many obstacles and calamities can be obviated quite easi ly. Do not brood over fai l ures, defects and mistakes. This w i l l weaken your will . Let the defects remain there . They w i l l be removed quickly when the will becomes purer and purer, stronger and stronger. 6. J ust reflect for a while why you have failed i n the attempt and try to be careful in the second attempt. Try to remove those factors that led to your fai lure in the previous attempt. Fortify yourself now. Be careful and vigilant. B e on the alert. You must be quick and at the same time efficient and capable. You should not make mistakes.
7. Whenever you are in a dilemma or difficulty, never get
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discouraged. Never lose your heart. Use your ski l l nicely. Devise intelligent plan or scheme. Call forth all your latent energies or dormant faculties. When the house is on fire, how alert you are ! How promptly and ski lful ly you act at that particular moment! You do not know wherefrom the energy and power are flowi ng at that time. You are ful l y concentrated. You contrive skilful methods the n and there to save your property as much as possible and to save the l i ves of your kinsmen who are dwelling in the house. Marvel lous actions you do. Then you say at your leisure, when the difficulty passes away: "Some mysterious power of God has worked through me." 8 . Unwavering firmness and patience (Dhriti and Dhairya) are needed to tide over critical situations and to get success. Dhriti is spiritual patience. Dhairya is presence of m i nd. Samata (balanced state of mi nd) develops the will to a considerable degree. 9. Do not be troubled at all if there is delay in the development
of the wi l l . The will is bound to carry out all your orders in the long run. You can treat any ai lment of other people by mere w i l l i ng : "Let the patient be free from this disease." This will really come to pass i mmediately. You will be real ly astonished. You can treat any disease . i n your body by mere willing. Wil l strongly: "I must see Mr. Balakrishna at 8 .00 a.m." The man will be at your door in the exact time. Wil l is your obedient and w ill ing servant. It will fetch anyth i ng you want. If there is delay, apply the will once more with patience. In the beginning you w i l l find it a bit difficult to apply the wi l l , because it is a new practice for you. Gradually you w i l l know how to apply the w i l l . You will understand the knack and technique. Will can be applied in the twi nkl i ng of an eye aQd the object also wi l l be realised i n no time. Stronger the w i l l , the quicker the real isation is. Practice will make you perfect. Experiences will teach you.
I 0. You will have to be very careful in the use of the wi l l . It is
al ways advisable to reserve the w i ll-force for the achievement of higher spiritual success. Worldly success i s nothing. This l ife i s like a bubble. It is a long dream. Worldly success will not give you everlasti ng peace and happiness. Try your will in one or two instances i n worldly matters. You will understand and reali se its power. Then apply the w i l l in Self-realisation. Ignore the mundane affairs. They are w orthless l i ke straw or dung. Become a Yogin. This alone will give you absolute satisfaction.
I I . Practi se the assertions boldly and calmly. Ful l y understand
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the meaning of every assertion and try to feel . The feel i ng wi l l slowly manifest. You wil l have t o fight against your old enemies, the old Samskaras. Wait coolly. Try to develop patience, attention, power of endurance, balance of mind and presence of mind. These qualities are very necessary to develop your wil l . Develop attention also. Practise w i l l -culture for three months. You w i l l feel your inner strength. The things that appeared difficult some time ago can be done with ease now. You will feel that you now have an unruffled mind. Things that would easily upset your mind previously cannot do so now. You can turn out i mmense work quite smoothly. Your wal k is gracefu l . Your speech is powerful. You are quite a changed man. There is a glow in your cheeks and a pecul iar charm in your smile. You are able to influence many persons now. Your friends notice a magnetic aura in your face. 1 2. The practice of concentration should go hand in hand with the memory and will-culture. Concentration is an auxil i ary i n all cultures. No culture is possible without concentration. Have regular concentration-exercises dai ly i n the morning and evening. Have a spiritual basis in your concentration. You practise concentration not only for developing your memory and will but mainly for Self-realisation. That is the chief aim . Never, never forget this point. This is the fundamental difference between my system and the various other systems. Brahmacharya and Self-realisation are the keynotes in my system. I harp on these two points in various places. I want you to develop your memory and will for success in life and achievement of the Brahmic bliss eventual ly. The practice of concentration wil l i mmensely help your memory and will-culture also. Keep a record of your experiences in concentration in your diary and send me a copy of it every month.
1 3 . Develop Sattvic virtues also. You wi l l understand the
method of developi ng various virtues. Develop that virtue which you are hopelessly lacki ng. Courage, mercy, universal l ove, nobi lity, compassion, contentment, frankness, honesty must be developed to a high degree. If you develop one important virtue, al l other virtues will c l i ng to you. If you have humi lity and courage, all . other virtues will come by themsel ves. You should spend daily some ti me for the development of virtues. Eradicate evil qualities. The development of virtuous qualities will itself remove the negative qualities. But it is better to make a positive attempt in the eradication of these evi l qualities. 1 4.
PRACTICE OF YOGA Then the progress will be rapid. It i s double attack on the enemy. Then success becomes easy and sure. If you could remove lust or anger or egoism, al l other evil quali ties will disappear by themselves. All evil quali ties are the attendants of egoism. If egoi sm is destroyed, if the commander is kil led. all the soldiers or reti nues w i l l take to the heels out of fright, bel:ause they have l ost their head. All vices originate from anger. If anger is destroyed, all sorts of vices w i l l vanish. Therefore concentrate your attention in k i l l ing egoism or anger. Then the whole work i s done. 1 5 . You must have discip l i ne of the Indriyas. Conserve energy. Th is is most i mportant. If the Indriyas are turbulent, you cannot have concentration. Watch every Indriya carefully and correct it by sui table methods such as Mauna, Trataka, fasting, celibacy, renunciation of sensual enjoyments, Dama and Pratyahara. Indriyas draw you out and make your m ind outgoing. Curbing of the l ndriyas real ly means curbing of the mind. The I ndriyas cannot do any i ndependent work without the direct help of the mind.
1 6. Another important poi nt i s physical colture. I again remind
you that no cul ture is possible if you do not possess a sound and heal thy body. Keep your body strong and healthy by regular exercise.
1 7. Tf you want rapid progress, if you want substantial growth,
keep a dai ly diary. Let this be a true diary with a clean conscience. Hav i ng armed yourself with the above Sadhana you can become a mighty emperor of this world. You can enjoy health, wealth, spi ritual bliss and l ongevity. I have shown graduated exercises according to the capacity of the student. Now it is left for you to expand and grow. You w i l l have to apply yourself dil igently. A hungry mar wi I I have to eat for hi mself. A thirsty man will have to dri nk for himself. Become a spiritual hero. Get success i n every department of your l i fe. These practices will become now part and parcel of your nature after some practice. You can go on developi ng them ti l l you attai n perfection. 1 8. There i s a great difference between the eastern way of culture of the H i ndu sages and Ri shis, and the method of culture of the western occulti sts. The fundamen tal difference i s that i n the west, people trai n their wi l l and memory for attaining material progress and worldly prosperity only. They have ignored completely the l ife beyond. This i s a serious bl under i ndeed. Whereas the Yogins of India do develop their wil l for attai ning Sel �-real i sation. They exhibit psychic Siddhis to make their
MIND AND ITS FUNCTIONS students clearly understand that there is a higher super-sensual l ife i n the Atman, which alone can give real bliss and i mmortality. They clearly i mpress their students in emphatic terms: "Na karmana-na prajaya dhanena tyagenaike amritatvam anas uh Not by actions, nor by progeny, nor by riches but by renunciation alone ' can one attain i mmortality." "There is no happiness in the perishable, finite objects. The real peace is i n the bsolute alone. The Absolute must be sought and understood." This one ringing note is blown in their ears daily. 1 9 . Therefore, the western occultists should not neglect the spiritual culture and shoul d not forget the spiritual basis of a l l other cultures. One can have material prosperity to a certain extent. He should develop the spiritual side also. There should be a spiritual basis for all sorts of cultures and undertakings. This i s the · most i mportant point. If this side is ignored completely, then that culture is no culture at all . There should be the practice of a l ittl e Tapas (austerity) along w_ith the will-culture. S au naka, a wise householder, approached the S age A ngirasa and asked: "0 venerable Sir, what is that supreme culture by knowing which all other cultures are known ?" A ngirasa replied: "It i s Brahma-Vidya or the spiritual culture or the Science of the Self." Therefore I draw the attention of western culturists i n this direction. Then they will have wonderful success and i mmense joy. Some Hindu Yogins completely ignore the material s ide and practise Tamasic Tapas. This is also not advisable. This is condemned by Lord Krishna i n the Gita. Extremes are al ways ,.bad. A healthy combination i s highly desirable. Chudala and Janaka had this happy combination . . 20. I want to place before you another important point. Those who are attempting to devel op their w i l l -power should remove the words 'Cannot�' 'Difficult,' ' I mpossible,' etc., from their m ind. These are the expressions of a weak l i ng or an effeminate person. These are the expressions of a timid l ady. Become a lion. Become a spiritual hero. Become a champion i n the Adhyatmic (ield. By mere will ing or chanting of OM, the mountains should be crushed into powder. By mere w i l l i ng, mountains should move. By mere wi ll ing, the ocean should recede. By mere wil l i ng, all the waves of ocean should subside. Lord Jesus did this and you can also do. Whatever one has achieved can be attained by all if they will. This is the grand J aw of nature. Speak with force. Tal k with emphasis in a Gambhira manner. Gambhira is not pride. It is the quality of magnani m i ty. -
PRACfiCE OF YOGA
2 1 . Therefore never entertain any negative terms in your m ind. Understand the glory, splendour and power of the Self which is at the back of your mind, thought, will and memory. Understand the magnani mity and immortal nature of that hidden, i nterpenetrati ng, i ndwe l l i ng essence. Know that this Self is the storehouse of all knowledge, bliss, power, beauty, peace and joy. Feel that the sun, moon, stars and the fire do their respective functions at your command. Feel that the air moves, rain falls, fire burns, rivers flow, sun shi nes, stars glitter, at your bidding. Thou art the Glory of glories, S u n of suns, Light of l ights. Thou art the, Truth. Thou art the imperishable, undecaying, u ndying Atman that pervades this whole universe. Assert your Divi ne Majesty. Recognise the Brahmic Glory. Real ise your freedom.
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE LAW OF KARMA Nature Every man should have a comprehensive understanding of the laws of Nature and their operations. Then he can pull on smoothly and happily in thi s world. He can utilise the helping forces to serve his ends in the best possible manner. He can neutralise the hostile forces or antagonistic currents. Just as the fish swims against the current, so also he will be able to go against the hostile currents by adj usting himself properly and safeguarding through suitable pr�cautionary methods. Otherwise he becomes a slave. He is tossed about hither and thither helplessly by various currents. Various hostile forces drag him i n different comers. He is drifted like a wooden plank i n a river. He is very miserable and unhappy al ways . . A taptain of a steamer who has mariner's compass, who has knowledge of the sea, the routes and the oceanic currents can sail smoothly. Otherwi se his steamer will be drifted here and there and wrecked by some icebergs. Likewise, a wise sailor in the ocean of this life, who has a detailed knowledge of the l aws of Karma and Nature can sail smoothly and reach the goal of his life positively. Understanding the laws of Nature you can mould or sttape your character in any way you l ike. "As you think, so you �come.u This is one of the great laws of Nature. Think that you are pure, pure you will become. Think that you are noble, noble you will become. Think that you are a man, man you will become. Thipk that you are Brahman, Brahman you will become. Become an embodiment of good nature. Do always good actions. Serve, love, give. Make others happy. Live to serve others. Then you will reap happiness. You will get · favourable circumstances or opportunities and environments. If . you hurt others, if you do scandal-mongering, mischief-making, backbiting, talebearing, if you exploit others, if you acquire the property of others by foul means, if you do any action that can give pain to others, you will reap pain. You will get only unfavow;able circumstances, opportunities and environments. This i s the law of Nature. Just as you can prepare your good or bad charaeter. by
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subli me or base thi nking, so also you can prepare your favourable or unfavourable circumstances by doing good or bad actions. A man of discrimi nation i s always careful, vigilant and circumspect. He always watches carefully his thoughts. He introspects. He knows exactly what i s going on i n his mental factory, what Vritti or Guna is prevail i ng at a particular time. He never allows any evil thought to enter the gates of mental factory. He at once nips them in the b_ud. When the mind raises its hood of Vritti , he takes the rod of Viveka and strikes at the hood. J ust as the soldier kills his enemies one by one with his sword when they enter the fort, so also the man of discri mination kills the evil thought with his sword of Viveka when i t tries to enter the fort of mind. Thus he builds his nobl e character. He prepares himself to get always favourable circumstances . He who spreads happiness, will always get such favourable circum stances as can bring happiness . He who spreads pain to others wil l , doubtless, get such unfavourable circumstances as can bring mi sery and pain according to the law of Nature. Therefore, man creates his own character and circumstances. Bad character can be transmuted i nto good one by good thoughts. Unfavourable circumstances can be changed i nto favourable circumstances by doing good actions . 0 Ram ! Understand the laws of Nature and become wise and happy. According to the nature of your desires you get a birth and environments. Prarabdha places you i n such _suitable environments as are favourable for the gratification of your desires. The man is dragged to places where he can get his objects of desire. Suppose there is a poor i ntell i gent boy in India. He has an i ntense desire to go to England for his higher education. His desire cannot be fulfil led in this birth. There is one rich l ady in London who has no son. She has intense desire to get an i ntelligent son. This poor, intelligent boy may get his next birth i n London as the son of the rich lady according to the law of coincidence and may have his old strong desire of his previous birth gratified now. God gi ves suitable surroundings according to the nature of the desires of the man for hi s growth and evolution. ·
S uppose a shepherd-boy gave a tumbler of water to drink to a rich man, when he was very thirsty and when he could not get any water in a thick j ungle. This boy may get his next birth as the son of thi s rich man for thi s little good action that he has done. But he
THE LAW OF KARMA may be ignorant, because he was a shepherd-boy in his previous birth. Accordi ng to the nature of desire, the man gets environments. The desire drags him to such places where the desired objects can be obtained. This i s the l aw of Nature. Entertain holy desires. You will be placed in the holy surroundings such as Uttarakasi , Himalayas , Prayaga, etc., where you can perform Tapas, S adhana, meditation amidst holy persons and can have Self-realisation. Entertai n unholy qesires. You will be placed in pl aces l i ke Paris , Holl ywood where you can have cinemas, restaurants, ballrooms, etc. It is left for you to select 'the desires, ei ther hol y or unhol y. If you want to move as a man-beast in the streets of Pari s, select the unholy desires. If you want to shine i n divine glory and move a s a man-god, select the holy desires. The three aspects of the Jaw of Karma should clearly be grasped. The first i s the Sanchita Karma, the sum total and storehouse of all our actions, good or bad, in the i nnumerable past lives that we have left behind or from the time we began to discriminate right from wrong and thus started acting on our own responsi bil ity and with our own initiative. The whole of it i s recorded and preserved. How could it be otherwise when we live under the reign of an i mmutable law? The second is Prarabdha Karma, the inevitable Karma. It is that portion of our Karma which is assigned to us to be worked out in a single l i fe in relation to men and things we met and experienced in previous Jives. Thi s is also called ripe Karma because it is a debt which i s overdue and it is time that it should be paid in the form of sorrow and suffering, gai n and Joss, to the uttermost farthing, whether we like it or not. The third form is that of Kriyamana Karma. It is that Karma which is .in the course of making. It is that which preserves our free-w ill with certai n limitations and ensures our future success. Because man is made in God 's image and shares divine life, he is free to act i n any way he likes. In virtue of the same principle whatever he intensely desires he is sure to accomplish in the course of time. Whatever is true in the case of an i ndividual i s also true in the case o f a nation, for, i ndividuals make a nation. The collective Karma of a race or a nation is as much a fact i n nature a s a n indi vidual one. The same principle underlying the Karmic Jaws applies without much wide difference, to national and col lected Karma. The nations rise and fall , empires flourish and are dismembered on the same ground. The wise heads of nations should not neglect the dominating sway of this J aw.
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In the midst of a national calamity it is well to remember that nothing can come to us which we have not deserved. We may not be able to see the immediate · cause of a catastrophe, but it does not fol low tha:t it took place without sufficient cause. During the l ast thousand years and more many heart-rending and humi liating events occurred on the soil of Mother India, devastati ng the whole land, robbing her sons of their precious property and even more precious l i ves. The incidents of our own times are too fresh in our memories to need any repetition. Have these soul-scorching incidents and catacl ysms taken place without any rhyme or reason? No. There i s nothing that can happen to u s beyond the scope of the good and utterl y j ust l aw. Everything has i ts own time and place. In our ignorance we may not be able to trace out the immediate cause with certai nty, definiteness and accuracy, but thi s much is certain beyond the least shadow of doubt that nothing · unmerited can . happen to us or to our country. ·
Our own apathy, indifference, lack of patriotism, communal and caste dissensions, mutual hatred, suspicion and strife have been the main cause of our present and past degradation. As our collective Karma brought on us the wrath of divine justice and fit retri bution closely fol l owed in the wake of our evil deeds and we deservedly suffered and paid for them heavily, so we can agai n exert our collective will in the right direction and learn to be wise and circumspect in the l ight of our past bitter experience and deep humiliation. In the course of time we shall begin to see the eclipse of downfall, servitude and thraldom graduall y di sappearing from the soil of our motherland and we shall once more be free and great as our forefathers were.
The Law of Karma All the phenomena of Nature are governed by one important law, · the universal law of causation, which is also known by the name, the Law of Karma. The law of causation is a universal law that keeps up the inner harmony and the logical order of the universe. Man' s deeds are subject to this law. Karma is a Sanskrit term that comes from the rd"ot, "Kri-to act" and signifies action or deed. · Any physical or mental action is Karma. Thought is Karma. Reaction that follows an action is also Karma. Karma is a broad term. Attraction, repulsion, gravitation, breathing, talking, walking, seeing, heari ng, eati ng, feel ing, willing, desiring, thinking
·
THE LAW OF KARMA ·
111
and all the acti ons of the body, mi nd and the senses constitute Karma. Karma incl udes both cause and effect. Al l other l aws of Nature are subordinate to this fundamental Jaw. The sun shines, the fire bums, the ri vers flow, the wind blows, the trees blossom and bear fruits, the mind thinks, feel s and wil ls, the brai n, the heart, the l ungs, spleen and kidneys work in harmony in strict obedience to thi s grand J aw of cause and effect. This grand Jaw operates everywhere in the physical and mental planes. No phenomenon can escape frorn the operation of this mighty law. The seed has its cause in the tree and the seed itself becomes in turn the cause for the tree. The cause is fou nd in the effect and the effect is found in the cause. The effect i s similar to the cause. This is the universal chain of cause and effect which has no end. This world runs on this fundamental, vital law. This l aw is inexorable and immutable. Scienti sts are carefully observing the phenomena of Nature and are trying to fi nd out the exact causes for all that takes place in Nature. The astronomer sits with his long, powerful telescope in his observatory and watches the map of the heavens, studies the stars and pl anets very carefully and the phenomena that take place in the astronomical world. He tries to find out the exact causes that bring out the phenomena. The reflective philosopher sits in a contemplative mood and tries to find out the cause for this world, the cause for the pains and miseries of this Samsara and the cause for the phenomena of birth and death . No event can occur without having a positive, definite cause at the back of it. The breaking of a war, the rise of a comet, the occurrence of an earthquake, a volcanic eruption, an epidemic, thu nder, lightning, floods, diseases, fortune, misfortune, etc., have got definite causes behind them. If you develop a carbuncle or get a fracture of the bone of the leg, this is obviously due to some bad Karma in your previous birth . The bad Karma was the cause; the carbuncle 6r the fracture is the effect. If you get some fortune i n this birth, the cause is that you did some good action i n your previous birth. There is no such thing as bl ind chance or accident. The cause i s hidden or unknown i f you are not able to trace it out for the particular accident. Thi s Jaw of cause and effect is quite mysterious. That is the reason why Lord Krishna says: "Gahana karmano gatih-Mysterious is the path of action" (Gita, IV- 1 7). If
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your finite mind is not able to find out the cause i n an accident or chance, i t does not mean that this accident has occurred without a cause. A l l the physical and mental forces in Nature obey this grand law of cause and effect. Law and the Law-giver are one. Law and God are one. Nature and Nature 's l aws are one. The laws of gravitation, cohesion, adhesion, attraction and repulsion, the l aw of l i ke and dis l i ke, the laws of rel ativity, contiguity, and association on the mental pl ane operate in strict accordance with this law of cause and effect. From the vibration of an electron to the revol ution of a mighty planet, from the fall i ng of a mango to the ground to the powerful willing of a Jnani or a Yogi, from the motion of a runner in the postal department to the movement of the radio-waves in the subtle ether, from the transmitting of a telegraphic message to the telepathic communication of a Yogi in the thought-world, all these are the effects of some invisible force that works i n happy concord and harmony with the law of cause and effect.
·
A close study of thi s l aw gives encouragement for the hopeless rnan. for the desperate and the ail ing. Desti ny is created by man's thoughts, habits and character. Ther� is every chance for his correcti on and i mprovement by changing his thoughts and habits. The scoundrel can become a saint, the prostitute can become a chaste woman, and a beggar can become a king. This mighty law provides this. The l aw of Karma only can explain beautifully the inequalities of this world such as one man is very rich, another i s extremely poor, o n e i s wicked, another is a saint, one is very dull, another is a genius or a versatil e prodigy, one is a born decrepit, another is a handsome man, one is always sick, another is strong and healthy. How can you explai n these inequalities? It i s all Karma. God can never be unj ust or partial . This world is a relative plane. It contains good, evil and mixture of good and evil . That is the reason why Lord Krishna says : "A nishtamishtam misram cha trividham karmanah phalam-Good, evil and m ixed-three-fold i s the fruit of action hereafter for the non-relinqui s her" (Gita, XVIII- 1 2) . There can be neither absolute good nor absolute evil in this world. That which gives you comfort and p leasure, that which i s beneficial to you, to the world and to your neighbour is good. That which gives you discomfort, uneasiness, pain and misery to the world and to your neighbour i s
THE LAW OF KARMA
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evil . That which gives misery and pain to some, pleasure to others is a mixture of good and evil . Every action that you d o produces a twofold effect. It produces an i mpression in your m i nd and you carry the Samskara when you die in the Karmasaya (receptacle of works) i n your subconscious mind. It produces an impression on the world of Akasic records. Ahy action is bound to react upon you with equal force and effect. If you h urt another man, you really hurt yourself. This wrong action is bound to react upon you and i njure you. It w i l l bring mi sery and pai n . If you do some good to another man, you are real ly helping yourself. You are reall y doing good to yourself. Because there i s nothing but the Self. "Atma eva idam sarvam. " This is the emphatic declaration of the Srutis. This virtuous action will react upon you with equal force and effect. It w i l l bring you joy and happiness. That is the reason why sages and Rishis, prophets and moralists harp on the note: "Love thy neighbour as thyself. Never hurt the feelings of others. Ahimsa paramo dharmah. Do good to others." He who has rightly understood this law can never do any harm to anybody. He wi l l be ever doi ng virtuous actions only. He wi l l become an embodi ment of virtues. If you do a wrong action to an i ndividual , it disturbs the whole atmosphere. If you entertain an evi l thought, i t pollutes the whole thought-world. Therefore you should cultivate good thoughts and eradicate all evil thoughts. Every thought has got a cause beh i nd it. Every action, every thought, however trivial and i nsignificant it may be, affects the whole world directly or i ndirectly. That noble soul who always does good to the world and entertains subli me divine thoughts is a blessing to the world at l arge. He purifies the whole world. Suppose for a moment that you write some sensational article i n the paper. It arouses the emotions and sentiments of the readers. They begin to do someth i ng against the Government. A serious fight ensues. Police forces are brought in. Many people are s hot. Many new rules are framed to check and repress the people. The parents of those who were k i l led suffer. This fight produces an effect in the minds of the people of other parts of the world also. In fact the whole world is affected by a single event. A single · sensational article has wrought such disastrous results. One event may be both a cause and effect at the same time. The endless chai n of cause and effect is kept up all throughout. You cannot
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YOGA
separate one link from the chain. You cannot say that this l ink is useless or unnecessary. You have now a comprehensive understanding of this grand law of cause and effect. You can change your thoughts and habits and mould a new character. You can become a righteous man and a saint by doing virtuous actions and entertaining noble divine thoughts. When you attain knowledge of . the Self, when you annihilate this l ittle mind, when you transcend the three Gunas and the three Avasthas, you can rest i n your own Svarupa. You can become identical with the Law-giver. Then the l aw of cause and effect will not operate on you. You have conquered nature. May that invisible Law-giver, Brahman, guide you in your attain"?ent of final beatitude of life !
Man I s the Master of His Destiny
·
Some ignorant people say: "Karma· does everything. It is all destiny. If I am destined by my Karma to be l ike this or l ike that, why then should I exert? It is my destiny only." This is fatalism. This will bri ng inertia, stagnation and mi sery. This is perfect misunderstanding of the law of Karma. This is a fal lacious argument. An intel l igent man will certainly not put such a question. You have made your own destiny from within by your thoughts and actions. You have a free-will to choose now. A rogue is not a rogue for all times. Put him in the company of a saint. He will change in no time. He will think and act now in a different way and will change his destiny. He will become saintly in character. Dacoit Ratnakar was changed i nto sage Valmiki by the current of Rishi Narada. You will h�ve to think and act. You can make your Karma in any way you l i ke. You can become a Yogi or Jnani by right desire, by right thinking and by right action. You can attain the position of Indra or Brahma by good K,arma. Man is not a helpless being. He has a free-wi l l of his own. Man sows an action and reaps a destiny. Man has made his own desti ny by thinking and acting. He can change his destiny. He is the master of his own destiny. There is no doubt about this. By right thinking and Vichara and strong Purushartha, he can become a master of his destiny. Markandeya changed his destiny through Tapas and worship of Lord Siva. Visvarnitra became a B rahmarshi through vi gorous Tapas and changed his destiny. You can also do so, if you have a strong will and iron determinatio n. Vasishtha preaches Purushartha to Sri Rama in the . Yoga-Vasisht ha. Just as you can change your way of writing in ·a slanting manner i nto a
THE LAW OF KARMA
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vertical manner, so also you can change your destiny by changing your mode of thinking. Now you are thinking: "I am Mr. So and so," by identifying with the body and other Upadhis. Now start the anti -current. Think: "I am Brahman. I am the immortal Self in al l . I am the all-pervadi ng Light, Intelligence or pure Consciousness." Your destiny will be changed. This is the Sadhana. This is the Ahamgraha Upasana. Practise it steadil y. Feel and realise. An advocate of Lahore once asked me: "Swamij i , you say that the law of Karma operates without unerring precision in all men. A man desires, thi nks and acts. If the actions that I perform now are the outcome of my past thoughts, and if my past thoughts are the resul tant of my past desires, am I not helplessly bound? I am like a piece of straw tossed about hither and thither. I must act in accordance with my thought. I must .think in accordance with my desire. There is no hope for my freedom of action and thinking. This does not appeal to my reason at all. Kindly .throw light on this important subject." I replied: "Look here, Mr. Si vasankar! Man is gaining new eweriences and new knowledge every day. Mind is evolving every second. There is every possi bi lity for him to change his desires, thoughts and .actions. Suppose there is a thief. He does pi lfering. He knocks away the things of other people without their knowledge. He is put in jail. People hate him. He gains many experiences. He always feel s that he is very miserable. He now decides to give up pilfering. He changes his desires. He now wants to lead an honest life. His old Samskaras, his old thoughts wil l try . to resist him and wi l l recur again and again. B ut through resolute efforts he can c;hange his thoughts, desires and actions, can become a very good charitable man and can attain perfection, freedom and immortality."
Man Can Outgrow Environments It is often said that man is the resultant product of his environments. This is not true. We cannot believe this, because the facts always prove the contrary. Many of the world's greatest men have been born in poverty and in adverse circumstan ces. Many who have been born in the slums and in fi lthy surroundin gs have risen to the highest status in the world. They have won l aurels of fame and distinguish ed themselves in politics, literature and poetry. They have become bril li ant geniuses and beacon-lig hts of the world. How do you account for this? Sir T. Muthusw amy Aiyar, the first Indian High Court Judge in
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Madras, was born i n absolute poverty. He had to study at night under municipal lanterns. He had no sufficient food. He was clad in rags. He struggled hard and achieved greatness. He rose above the environments by his strong will and iron determination. I n the West, sons of cobblers and fishermen have risen to very high position. Boys who did polishing of boots i n the streets, who were sell i ng beer in bars and who were cooking in hotels have become famous poets and able journalists. Johnson was placed in quite adverse environments. Sir Walter Scott was very poor. He had no place to l i ve i n . The l i fe of James Ramsay MacDonald i s worth mentioni ng. He was a man o f great Purushartha. H e rose from poverty to power, from a field-labourer to the status of Prime M i nister of B ritain. His first job was addressing envelopes for 1 0 shi l l i ngs a weel . He was too poor to buy tea; so he drank water instead. His main meal every day for months was a three-penny beef-steak:.pudding. He took great interest in politics and science. He was a journalist. He gradually through Purushartha (right exertion) rose to the position of a Prime Minister. Sri Sankaracharya, the exponent of Advaita philosophy, a spiritual giant, a bril l i ant genius, was born i n poor, u nfavourable environments and circumstances. There are many other i nstances l i ke these. It is quite obvious, therefore, that unfavourable environments cannot annihilate the potential greatness and excel lence of the future geniuses and that one can outgrow environments by diligent appl ication, patience, perseverance, truthfu l ness, honesty, integrity, sincerity of purpose, iron will and strong determi nation. Every man is born with his Samskaras. The mind is not a blank sheet of paper. It contains the i mpressions of thoughts and actions of the previous births. Samskaras are the latent potentialities. These good Samskaras are val uable assets for a man. Even though he is placed in unfavourable environments , these Samskaras give him protection from extraneous, undesirable hostile i nfluences. They help his growth and evolution. In the Gita Lord Krishna says: "There he recovereth the characteri stics belonging to his former body and with these he again Jaboureth for perfection. " Miss not any opportunity. Avail yourself of all opportunit ies. Every opportuni ty is meant for your upl i ft and developm ent. If you see a sick man l y i ng down on the roadside in a helpless condition, take h i m to the nearest hospital . Nurse hiin . S hampoo his legs with D i v i ne B hava. Feel the a l l-pervadi ng, a l l-permeat i ng,
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interpenetrati ng, indwe l l i ng God i n him. See Divinity i n the glow of his eyes, in his cry, i n his breath, in his pulsation and motion of his lung.;. God has given this opportunity for you to develop mercy and love, to purify your heart and to remove Ghrina, hatred and jealousy. Sometimes if you are very timid, God w i l l place you in such circumstances wherein you w i l l be forced to exhibit courage and presence of mind by risking your l i fe . Those world-figures who have risen to eminence have all util ised all opportunities to the best advantage. Remember that in your weakness l ies the strength; because you will be always on your alert to safeguard yourSelf. Poverty has got its own virtues. Poverty infuses humili ty, strength, power of endurance ·and the spiri t of struggling and persevering. Whereas, luxury begets l azi ness, pride, wea�ness, i nertia .a nd all sorts of evil habits. Therefore, do not grumble of bad environments. Create your own mental world and environments. That man who tries to evolve or grow i n adverse environments w i l l be a very strong man indeed. Nothing can shake him. He w i l l be of a sterner stuff. He will have strong nerves. Man i s certain l y not a creature of environments or circumstances. He can control and modify them by his capacities, character, thoughts and actions. Right exertion can change the destiny. Dear brothers, exert. Conquer the nature. Rejoice in the eternal Sat-Chit-Ananda Atman. In the Yoga-Vasishtha the follow i ng description is given: "There is nothing l ike destiny other than the effect of our previous efforts. Our previous efforts are called our destiny. Our achievements are determi ned by our efforts. Our effort is therefore our destiny. Our previous and present effqrts, in case they are in contrary directions, are l i ke two rams fighting against each other. The more powerful of the two always overthrows the ..other. Whether they are the past or the present efforts, i t is the stronger ones that determine our destiny. In either case, it is man's own effort that determines his destiny by virtue of its strength. M an determines his own destiny by his own thought. He can make those things also happen, which were not destined to happen. The soul of man i s powerful enough. O n l y those things happen i n this world which i t creates b y i ts o w n free effort and not others. One should, therefore, overcome one's unfavourable desliny (the effect of one's past efforts), by greater effort in the present. There is noth i ng in the world which cannot be achieved � men by right sort of effort."
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Prof. Radhakrishnan writes as fol lows: "We have a good deal of the present constrai nt and previous necessity in human life. Bot necessity is not to be mistaken for destiny which we can neither defy nor delude. Though the self is not free from the bonds of determination, it can subjugate the past to a certain extent and tum it i.nto a new course. Choice i s the assertion of freedom over necessity by which it converts necessity to its own use and thus frees itself from it. The human agent is free. He is not the plaything of fate or dri ftwood on the tide of uncontrolled events. He can actively mould the future instead of passively suffering the past. The past may become an opportunity or an obstacle. Everything depends on what we make it· and not what it makes of us." Dr. Hafiz Syed, M.A., Ph.D ., writes in the Hindu Mind as follows: "There is nothing which has wrought so much havoc in the practical life of the Hi ndus, as the misconception of the l aw of Karma-the eternal l aw of cause and effect-that works . with unerri ng precision in all the departments of human life. It is said that it is a gloomy doctrine and that it tends to paralyse human effort, and closes the spring of all right action. In popular language this doctrine means predestination, pure and SiiJlple. It is believed that a man is a creature of his past actions and all his present life with its varied activities, joys, sorrows, pain and pleasure, success and fail ure, gain and loss, are predetermined by his past doings over which he has no control, and therefore he should be utterly resigned and waste no ·time in improving his or his neighbour's lot. ·
'
"There is only an element of truth i n this attitude: in other words, it is only half a truth that is understood and followed; unless the whole truth is .grasped with regard to this doctri ne, it will al ways prove a source of confusion and cause a great deal of harm. If Indian people are to rise · from their present state of degradation and shake off the fetters of their thraldom, it is time, that they should clearly try to understand the true meaning and philosophy of actions and the reign of the l aw of Karma under which the whole of the human race has to evolve. "It is true that a man '5 present abilities or disabilities are the direct outcome of his own thoughts and actions in the past: his congenital endowments, his physical heredity, . his moral and i nstincts and capacities are the results of his own thoughts feeli ngs of his previous births. A farmer reaps rich harvest
·
THE LAW OF KARMA
1 19
only when he labours in his field for a long time. Unless he cares to ti l l the ground, sow the seeds, water and manure it, he would not be in a position to enj oy the fruit of his toil. What he sowed yesterday, he i s reaping today and what he sows today he will reap tomorrow. Thi s is an immutable law and holds good in every thing without an exception. To say that one's capacity for fresh effort, and new lines of action, i s paralysed or doomed by one's past doings is as futile and groundless as to say that because one sowed yesterday one cannot sow fresh seeds in new grounds today. The fact of the matter is that free-will is never choked and stifled by any past action. The only thing is that a man cannot achieve what he wants al l at once, without any delay. The good law pays every person according to his need and i n due . time. The law runs its own course. The results of past actions, thoughts and feelings appear to us as effects of causes we set up from our own free choice and similarly we are equally free and unfettered to choose a line of action which is sure to bring its fruit in due time. A man i s bound by the past debts h e incurred o r contracts h e made: A s soon as he pays up his liabilities he is once more free to choose whether he should incur fresh debt or not. Over the i nevitable he has no control and if the law is to be justified, he should have no reason to complain against it. It is always open to him to mould the Karma which is in the course of making in any way he likes. Under the security of the changeless law of cause and effect a man can serenely procee� to achieve anything he desires to accomplish. Sooner or l ater he is sure to succeed in his well-directed efforts. In nature nothing is lost." Karma is Jada. There must be a dispenser to allot the fruits for the thoughts and actions of Jivas. An overseer knows how much wages are to be given to various workers in the contract-work according to the abil ity and nature of work turned out by the coolies. Even so, the Lord of the universe knows the actions and moti ves of the Jivas and accordingly allots fruits for their actions.
CHAPTER EIGHT
OBSTACLES IN YOGA Moha-Attachment Moha is one of the greatest obstacles for the spiritual aspirants. Moha is i nfatuated love for one's own body, wife, children, father, mother, brothers, sisters and property. M i nd always gets attached to one form or other. When i t i s taken from one form, i t clings to another form . No one is free from some k i nd of attachment. Aaskti (attachment), Kamana ( longing), Raga (attraction) and preference to certain things are the various methods by which this great power Moha binds the J i va to the Samsara-Chakra. A rrian i s attached t o rice. He has a longing for eating· rice when h e has given up rice on account of his diabetes. This is Kamana. If rice and bread are served, a Bengali or a Madrasi w i l l certainly have preference for rice. This also you should give up if you want to destroy Moha. Moha is the greatest weapon of M aya. Mysterious is Maya. M ysterious is Moha. Moha i s a kind of powerful liqu ?r that brings i ntoxication i n the twinkling of an eye. You would have never come into this world, had it not been for the i nfluence of Moha. The first attachment starts with this physical body. Then all other attachments crop up. Then comes the relationship of father, mother, brother, sister; wife, son, etc. One may have attachment to a place, person or object. Wherever there is attachment, there is the i dea of Mamata (mineness). Attachment is a sort of very strong glue that bi nds the mind with the sensual objects. Why does the mind get attached to objects or persons? B ecause it fi nds p leasure i n them. Wherever there is pleasure, the m i nd gets attached there. Attachment is the root cause for h uman sufferings. It is the product of. Avidya. It is a modification of nescience. The husband weeps on the death of his wife, because he is attached to the physical body of his wife. The wife weeps on the death of her husband, not because of pure l ove for h i m, but because she could not get now any sexual pleasure and other comforts which she had when he w as ali ve. Infatuated love, delusion and fear are the old-standing associates of attachment. The cause of fear is the
OBSTACLES IN YOGA attachment to this physical body and property. Attachment and fear are inseparable . They are l ike fire and heat. You are not at all affected when one says: "That house is on fire. The horse is dead." Because there is neither attachment nor identification here. But if one says: "The house of Mr. Ramnarayan is on fire; The horse of Ganga Shankar i s dead;" at once the hearts of these people are affected since they have got identification or attachment with the house or horse. It is this kind of attachment that brings sorrow. Paramahamsa S annyasins al ways wander about. They should not stay for more than three days in a place. The main object in this discipli ne is to cut off attachment. B y long stay i n one place, Raga and Dvesha will gradual ly develop. Real ren u nc iation consists in renouncing the idea: 'I am the body.' Real renunciation consi sts in abandoning the attachment for this body. Sarva Sanga Parityaga---Giving up all sorts of attachments" is the key for attaining the bliss of Atman. It does not mean that one should reti re into the forest. Si khidhvaja sti l l had attachment to his body and Kamandalu though he li ved in forest, whereas his wife Queen Chudala was absol utely free from any sort of attachment ·even though she ruled a dom i nion. Thousands .of widows from Bengal and Madras are staying in Benares with the idea that they will get M ukti if they die in Benar.e s. But their m i nds are fi xed on their grandchi l dren . They are attached to the huge bundles of cow-dung cakes which they have accumulated in the backyard of their houses for starting fire. Some people are attached to paltry things such as notebooks, books, wal king sticks, pictures and small handkerchiefs. The friendship of several years comes- to a termination if M r. Rajan fails to return a small book which he borrowed from Seshu. Fight · ensues. It begins with a showering of hot words and abuses. They do not tal k and see each other from that moment. Ladies fight for li ttle th ings, as they have great attachme nt for meagre things also. In Madras a boy was accident ly drowned in a tank. His mother who was nearby and who had an intense attachme nt to her only son, immedi ately j umped into the tan k and drowned herself. Her husband was very much attached to his wife .a nd child. He also jumped and drowned himself. I nstances l i ke these dail y occur i n various parts of the world. Several people become nervous and get shocks when they lose the thi ngs to which they are attached very much. Such is the havoc done by the power of attachm ent. If a
1 22
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man recei ves a telegram that his only son is dead, he gets a shock and faints . Some people immedi ately die when they hear such news. · Look at the Moha of monkeys. If the baby monkey dies, the mother-monkey will carry the dead body for one or two months even. Such is the great power of Moha. Cows have great Moha for their cal ves . Moha wi I I not spare even S an nyasins who have renounced everythi ng. Moha troubled e ven Sri Sankara. He had t o attend the sick bed and funeral of his mother, though he was a S<;innyasi n. The great sai nt Pattinathuswami says at the funeral of his mother: "There was at first fire at Tripura: then at Lanka (Ceylon). Now there is fire in my stomach caused by the death of my mother. Let me al so apply fire to this corpse of my mother." Sannyasins get slowly attached to their Ashrams and disciples. This is more ditficult for eradication. This attachment i s stronger than the attachment of worl dl y persons. Many are attached to their Kamandalus and sticks and small tumblers. Even at the ti me of death they entertain thoughts of petty articles. The mind is so framed that it sticks to the old ruts and grooves. It demands drastic and rigorous di scipl i ne and Sadhana to get rid of all sorts of attachment. One has to struggle hard to destroy Moha. It is Moha that bri ngs us again to this Mrityu-loka. The seed of attachment is i ngrained i n the subconscious mind., The mind tries its level best to get attached to some form or other. It cannot remain without clinging to one form. It leaves one form and immedi ately clings to another form. This is i ts Svabhava. This is due to the qual ity of Rajas . If Rajas i s eradicated, all attachments will die by themselves. One should always be on the alert to detect the subtle ·workings of Moha. Moha creates del usion and perverted i ntellect. Through the force of M aya, you mistake the u nreal, dirty body for the real, pure Atman . You take the ·unreal world as a solid reali ty. These are the functions of Moha. You never wept wh,en millions died i n the Great War. B ut you weep bitterly when your wife is dead. Why? Because you have Moha for her. Moha creates the idea . of ' mi nene�.s.' Therefore you say : "My wife, my son, my horse, my house." This i s bondage. This is death. You w i l l have to trai n your mind daily in all dealings and actions. Do not get attached to your wife, children and property. The world is l ike a public inn. People are united for sometime and ·
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OBSTACLES IN YOGA
1 23
they are separated i n a short time. Turn the mind towards God .and do dai ly Japa and meditation. Study books on Vedanta and Bhartri hari Vairagy a Satakam. The seeds of Moha are ingrained i n the subconscious mi nd. You have t o obliterate o r fry up all these seeds through right thinking and Vichara. You w i l l have to cut all these i l l usory attachments through the sword of Vairagya (non-attachment). Gita says: "Asangasastrena dridhena chittva Cut this tree of Maya with the sword of non-attachment." Develop internal Vairagya by understanding the i l lusory nature of this world. Remember the pai ns of this Samsara, birth, death, old age, disease and miseries of this world. Place before the mind the glorious life in Atman and the immense bliss · of a spiritual life. Remember the sai nts, sages and Yogins. Get inspiration from them. Learn to discriminate between the real and the unreal. Have no inti mate connection with anybody. Lead a l ife of non-attachment in this world. The man who has no attachment to this world i s the most happy man. He is God Himself. Do not bother a bit when you lose little things. Think always that the perishable objects are worthless. Repeat the formulas mentally several times: "All objects are Vishtavat ( l i ke dung). Al l Qbjects are Vishavat ( l i ke poison)." You can destroy Moha if you mentally repeat i n all circumstances: "Even this w i l l pass away." Moha brings manifold miseries, bondage, discord and rupture. Moha is your dreadful enemy. It is real death. Non-attachment raises you to Godhead, lifts you up to the lofty heights of Brahman . Non-attachment bri ngs unalloyed bliss, eternal life, freedom, independence, perfection, concord and harmony. Moha is the greatest of all obstacles. All other obstacles in the practice of Yoga emanate from this Moha. If you can gradually destroy this, then the whole spiritual Sadhana and Self-realisation is very, very easy. We can even say that the w hole spiritual Sadhana is i ntended for destroying this dreadful enemy. .
Poor Health
God-reali sation is not possible without Sadhana. Spiri tual practice is not possible withOut good health. A sickly, dilapidated body stands in the w ay of Yoga-Abhyasa. The aspirant should try his level best to keep good health always by regular exercise, Asana, Pranayama, moderation in diet, walking, running in open air, regul arity in his work, meals, sleep, etc. He should avoid drugging as much as possible. He must take recourse to nature's
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cure, such as fresh air, wholesome food, cold bath, dietetic adjustment. He should al ways keep up a cheerful attitude of mi nd under all conditions of life. Cheerful ness is a powerful mental tonic. There is inti mate connection between body and. mind. If mind i s cheerful, the body also is healthy. That is the reason why doctors now prescribe laughing three times daily in the treatment of diseases. Some foo l i sh aspirants refuse to take medicine when they are ai ling seriously. They say: "It is Prarabdha. We should not go agai nst Prarabdha. Taking medicine is against the w i l l of God. Body is Mithya. If I take medicine, it w i l l i ncrease Deha-Adhyasa and body-idea." This is a foolish phi losophy. Take medicine. Do Purushartha. Leave the results to Prarabdha. This is wisdom . These fool ish people unnecessari ly torture the body, allow the disease to take a deep root and spoil their health. They cannot do any Sadhana. They rui n this instrument by wrong conception of Vedanta. Vedanta says: "Have no attachment for this body. But keep it clean. strong and healthy for constant, rigid Sadhana. This body i s a boat to cross over to the other shore of Immortality. It is the horse to take you to the desti nation. Feed the horse well but give up ' m i neness. ' When you are i l l , take some medicine for a couple of days, tide over the difficulties in a few days and start agai n the Sadhana quickly. Do not allow the disease to assume a grave form, and m �ke i t chronic and i ncurable.
Impure and Immoderate Food Mind is formed out of the subtlest portion of food. If the food i s impure, the mind also becomes impure. This is the dictum of sages and psychologists. Food plays an important part i n the evol ution of the mind. l t has direct influence on the mind. Meat, fish, eggs, stale unwholesome food, onions, garl ic, etc., should be avoided by s piritual practitioners, as these thi ngs excite passion and anger. The food shou ld be si mple, bl and, l ight, wholesome and nutritious. Liquors and narcotics should be strictly abandoned. Chil lies, condi ments, �piced dishes, pungent stuff and food that is too sour and sweet must be rejected. l n the Gita you w i l l tl nd: "The foods that augment vitality, energy, vigour, health, joy and cheerfu l ness, delicious, bland, substantial and agreeable, are dear to the pure." Aspirants should not overload the stomach. Ninety per cent of diseases take their origi n in i mmoderation of diet. People have developed a strong habit of eating more food than what is actuall y necessary. This is a
OBSTACLES IN YOGA
1 25
habit from their very boyhood. Indian mothers stuff their chil dren with too much food. This is not the way of caressing and lovi ng thei r children . Overloadi ng brings drowsiness and sleep immediately. If there is no hunger, you must not take any food. The night meals should be very light for Sadhakas. Half a seer of mi l k with one or two plantains is quite sufficient.
Influence of Tamas Tamas is another obstacle. A microscopic minority only are fit for whole-ti med meditation. People l i ke Sadasiva B rahman and Sri Sankara can spend the whole time in meditation. Many Sadhus who take to Ni vritti-Marga (the path of renunciation) have become completely Tamasic. Tamas is mistaken for Sattva. This is a great blunder. One can evol ve beautifully by doing Karma Yoga in the world if he knows how to spend his time profitably. A householder should seek the advice of Sannyasins and Mahatmas from time to ti me, draw a dai ly routine and adhere to it strictly amidst worldly activities. Raj as can be converted i nto Sattva. Intense Rajas takes a Sattvic turn. It is impossible to convert Tamas all on a sudden i nto Sattva. Tamas should first be turned i nto Rajas. Young Sadhus who take to Nivritti-Marga do not stick to any routi ne. They do not hear the words of elders. They do not obey the orders of the Guru. They want absolute i ndependence from the very beginning. They lead a happy-go-lucky l ife. There is no one to check. They have their own ways. They do not know how to regulate the energy and how to chalk out a daily programme. They ai mlessly wander about from place to place. They become Tamasic within six months . They sit for half an hour i n some Asana and imagine that they are having Samadhi . They i magine to be reali sed souls. If an aspirant who has taken to Nivritti-Marga finds that he is not evol vi ng, that he is not i mproving in meditation, that he i s going into Tamasic state, h e should a t once take up some kind of service for some years and work vigorously. He should combine work along with meditation. This is wisdom. This i s prudence. This is sagacity. Then he should go in for Seclusion. One should use his commonsense all throughout his Sadhana. It is very difficult to get out of Tamasic state. A Sadhaka should be very cautious. When · Tamas tries to overtake h i m, he should immediately do some sort of bris k work. He can run in the open air, draw water from wel ls, etc. He should drive it off by some intel ligent means or other. Alasya, Tandri and Nidra are the products of Tamas. Alasya i�;
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lazi ness. Tandri is half-sleepy state. Nidra is sleep. These three are great obstacles in the path of realisation. Sleep is a powerful force of Maya. It is N idra-Sakti. You . wil l be imagining that you are meditati ng. The mind w i l l i mmediately run through the old grooves, i nto the Mula-Ajnana for resting in the twi nkli ng of an eye. You w i l l be doubting if it is sleep or meditation. Sleep is the greatest obstacle as it is very powerfu l . Even though a Sadhaka is very careful and vigilant, sleep overpowers hrm somehow or other. This is a very strong habit. It takes time and demands great strength of w i l l to destroy this old habit. A1j una is cal led Gudakesa or conqueror of sleep. Lord Krishna addresses hi m: "0 Gudakesa." Lakshmana also had mastery over sleep. Besides these two persons, we have not heard of anyone who has conquered his sleep. There are people who have reduced the s leep to two or three hours. Even Yogins and Jnani ns sleep for two or three hours . Sleep is a psychol ogical phenomenon. Brain needs rest at least for a short time. Otherwise man feels drowsy and tired. He can neither work nor . meditate. The sleep of a Jnani is different from the sleep of a worldly man. In a Jnani the powerful Samskaras of Brahma-Abhyasa are there. It is something aki n to Brahma-Nishta. One should be careful in reducing his sleep. It should be done gradual ly. Go to bed at I 0.00 p.m. and get up at 3 . 30 a.m. Gradual ly reduce half an hour in each month. Sadhakas can gain time for their Sadhana by reducing sleep. The practice of reduci ng sleep w i l l be very troublesome in the beginning. When the habits are changed; it w i l l be pleasant. When drowsi ness. tries to manifest, stand up and do Japa. Dash cold water on the face arid head. Take m i l k and fruits only at night. Avoid overloadi ng the stomach at night. Take the night meals before sunset. Do I 0 to 20 Pranayamas just before starti ng medi tation. Do Sirshasana and Sarvangasana. Run for five mi nutes in. your compound. Drowsi ness and sleep w i l l vanish. Aspirants do meditation in the morni ng for one hour from 4.00 to 5.00 a.m. Then they are overpowered by sleep. They begin to sleep again after 5.00 a.m. This is a general complaint. Do 1 0 to 20 Pranayamas. Do some Asanas for a few minutes. Again you wi l l b e fresh for meditation. Use your commonsense alway s. The old habit may recur again and again. Tear it also agai n and again by suitable practices and strength of w i l l . Asana, Pranayama, brisk walk, Mitahara, Satsanga, Japa and Dhyana are the active means for removing Al asya, Tandri and Nidra.
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1 27
Aspirants get moods of depression occasionally. These moods may be due to indigestion, cloudy weather, i nfluence of Tamas or lower astral entities or revi val of old Samskaras Jrom w ithin . Find out the cause and remove it by suitable S adhana. Do not allow depression to overpower you. I mmediately take a brisk, long walk. Run in the open air. Sing di yine songs. Chant OM l oudly for half an hour. Wal k along the seashore or riverside. Play on the harmonium if you know the art. Do some Pranayamas. Dri nk a smal l cup of orange-j uice or hot tea or l ight coffee. Read some of the elevati ng portions of Avadhuta Gita or the Upanishads .
Doubt The aspirants begin to doubt whether God exists or not, whether ' he w ill succeed in his God-reali sation or not, whether he is doing his practices rightly or not. This is a dangerous obstacle in the spiritual path. The student slackens his efforts when these doubts crop up. M aya is very powerfu l . It misleads people through doubti ng and forgetfulness. Mind deludes people through doubti ng. Sometimes he gives up his Sadqana altogether. This is a serious mistake. Whenever doubt tries to overpower the Sadhaka, he should at once take recourse to the company of Mahatmas anfl remain w ith them for some time under the i nfluence of their currents. He should clear his doubts by conversing with them .
Vishaya-Asakti This is the greatest of all obstacles. The m i nd refuses to leave completely the sensual pleasures. Through the force of Vairagya and meditation, the desires get suppressed for some time. A l l on a sudden the mind thinks of sensual pleasures through the force of habit and memory. There arises mental disturbance. The mi nd moves outwards i n sensual objects. I n Gita Lord Krishna says: "The excited senses of even a wise man, though he be stri vi ng ' impetuously carry away his mind." . Some desires. l urk i n the corners of tne mind. Just as old dirt from the corners of the room comes out when you sweep, so also through the pressure of Yogic practices, these old l urking desires come out to the surface of the min9 with redoubled force. The Sadhaka should be very careful . He should be ever watchi ng the mind vigilantly. He must nip the desires i n the bud by developing his Vairagya, Viveka and increasing the period of Japa and meditation. He must observe Akhanda Mauna and do vigorous meditation and Pranayama. He should l i ve on m i l k and fruits for 40 days. He should observe fast on Ekadasi days. He should give ·
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up mixing with any body completely. He should never come out of the room. He should plunge himself deep i n his Sadhana. Kashaya means hidden Vasanas. This comes under the category of Vishaya-Asakti. Worldly ambition of all sorts can be included under this headi ng. Ambition makes the mind very restless. Man should have the one l audable ambition of getting Self-real isation.
Manorajya Manoraj ya i s bui lding castles in the air. This is a trick of the mind. Look at this wonder. The aspirant is meditati ng i n an isolated cave in the Himalayas. He plans in the cave: "After fi nishi ng my meditation, I must move about in San Francisco and New York and del iver lectures there. I must start a centre of spiritual acti vity in Columbia. I must do something new to the world. I must do somethi ng which no one has done up to this time.'' This is ambition. This is egoi stic imagi nation. This is a great obstacle. This wil l not allow the mind to rest even for a second. Agai n and again there will be resurrection of some scheme, speculation or plan . The aspirant will be thi nki ng that he is having deep meditation, but if he closely watches his mind through introspection and self-analysis, it will be a pure case of building castles i n the air. One Manorajya will subside and another w i l l crop up in the twinkling of an eye. It w i l l be a smal l Sankalpa or ripple in the mi nd-lake. B ut it w i l l gai n tremendous force within a few minutes by repeated thi nking. The power of imagination i s tremendous . . Maya havocs through the power o f i magination. I magi nation fattens the mind. The power of i magi nation w i l l not al low the mind to keep quiet even for a second. Just as swarms of locusts or fl ies come forth i n a continuous stream, so also currents of M anoraj y a w i l l stream forth i ncessantly. Vichara, discri m i n ation, prayer, Japa, Pranayama, D hyana, Satsanga, fasting, etc., w i l l obviate this obstacle. Pranayama checks the veloc i ty of the m i n d . It cal ms the bubbling m i nd. A young ambitious man is u nfit to remain in a solitary cave. He who has ? one some k i nd of Sadhana in control l i ng the mind, can remain 1n a cave .
Dilly-dallying (AIMLESS WANDERING) Some aspirants have got a habit of wandering aimlessly. They cannot stick to one place even for a week. The wandering habit must be checked. They want to see new places, new faces and
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want to tal k with new people. A roll i ng stone gathers no moss. A Sadhaka should stick to one place at least for a period of twelve years. If his heatth is del icate, he can stay for six months in one place duri ng summer and rainy season and i n another place for six months during wi nter. During winter he can stay either at Rajpur (Dehra Dun) or at Rishi kesh. During summer he can go to Badrinath or Uttarakasi . Sadhana suffers if one wanders constantly. Those who want to do rigorous Tapas (austerity) m ust stay in one place. Too much walking produces weakness and fatigue. It causes Vikshepa.
. Shilly -shallying (VI KSH EPA)
There are three Doshas in the mind, viz., Mala, Vikshepa and Avarana. Shill y-shallying is Vikshepa or mental oscillation. If you remove the oscillations of the mind, you get one-pointedness or Ekagrata. Ekagrata is a thi ng unknown to many. M ax M ueller writes: "It is impossible for us (Westerners), when our minds are diverted i n various directions through newspapers, telegrams, postal communications, etc." Ekagrata · i s an indispensable condition in all religious and philosophical speculations, and i n Nididhyasana. " Vyadh i-styana-samsaya-pramada-alasya a virati-bhrantidarsana-alabdha -bhumikatva-ana vasthitatvani chitta-vikshepaste i nacti VIty, doubt, i ndifference, anta rayah Disease, mental laziness, the tendency to go after sense-enjoyments, stupor, false perception, non-attaining concentration, and fall i ng away from that when attained on account of restlessness; are the obstructing distractions" (Patanj ali Yoga S utras, 1-30). -
Destroy all subtle and gross desires by constant efforts and Vichara. Remove Vikshepa through Upasana, Yoga, Trataka and Pranayama. ·
·
Vikshepa is tossing or oscil l ation of mind. This is an old habit of mind. All Sadhakas generally complain of this trouble. The mind never stays at a fixed point for a l ong time. It jumps hither and thither l i ke a monkey. It is always restless. This is due to the force of Rajas. Whenever Sri Jeya Day al Goenka came to me fot an i iiterview he used to put always two questions : "Swamij i , what is the. remedy · to control sleep? How to remove Vikshepa? Give me an easy and effective method." My answer was: "Take light diet at night. Do Sirshasana and Pranayama. Have deep
·
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meditation . S leep can be conquered. Trataka, Upasana and Pranayama w i l l remove Vikshepa." Patanjali M aharshi prescribes Pranayama for destroying Rajas which i nduces. Vikshepa and for getting one-poi nted mind. I n the Gi ta (VI-24 to 26), Lord Krishna prescribes a Sadhana for removi ng Vikshepa. It is the method of Pratyahara and D harana. Trataka . is an effective method i n destroyi ng Vikshepa. Practise this for half an hour on a picture of Lord Kri shna or on a black point. Instructions on the practice of Trataka are given el sewhere in this book.
Evil Company The effects of evil company are highly disastrous. The aspirant shou ld shun al l sorts of evil company. The mind is fi l led with bad ideas by contact with evil companions. The l ittle faith they have in God and scri ptures will vanish. A man is known by the company he keeps. J ust as a nurse ry is to be wel l-fenced in the beginni ng for protection agai nst cows, etc., so also a neophyte should protect himself very careful l y from evil infl uences from without. Otherwise he is rui ned totall y. The company of those who speak lies, who commit adu ltery, theft, cheating, double-deal ing, who are greedy, who i ndulge in idle talks, backbiting, talebeari ng, who have no faith i n God and in the scriptures etc., should be strictly avoided. The company of women and of those who associate with women is dangerous for a Sadhaka. B ad surroundings, obscene pictures, vulgar songs, novels that deal with l ove, cinemas, theatres, the sight of pairing of animals, words which give rise to bad ideas in the m i nd, in short, anything that causes evil thoughts in the m i nd can be termed as evil company.
The So-called Friends The so-called friends are your real enemies. You cannot fi nd even a si ngle, unselfi sh friend i n this universe. Your real friend in need who attends on you si ncerely is God, the lndweller of your heart. Worldly friends come to you to get money and other . comforts when you are rol ling i n Rol l s R{)yce, when you have g ot FJlenty of money. When you are i n adverse circumstances· no one w i l l care to l ook at you . Even your sons and wife will forsake you. This world is ful l of avarice, hypocrisy, double-dealing, flattery, untruth, cheating and selfi shness. B e carefu l . Friends come to have idle talks with you and they waste your time. They want to pull
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you down and make you also w'orJdly. They will say: "Dear ! what are you doing? Earn as much money . as possible. Live comfortab ly now. Eat, drink and be merry. Let us go to talkies. Today there is a good new American Hol l ywood productio n running at the Royal theatre. There is a beautiful American dance. Who knows about the future? Where is God? Where is heaven? There is no rebirth. There is no M ukti . I t is all gup and gossip of pundits. Enjoy now. Why do you fast? There is nothi ng beyond this world. Give up all Sadhana and meditation . You are wasting your time." You will get such sorts of advice from your worldly friends. Do not be carried away by the flowery speech of such friends. Cut off all connections ruthlessly. Do not talk to any of your friends, however si ncere they may be. Hide yourself always. Li ve alone at all times. Trust in that immortal Friend, who dwells in your heart. Then alone you are perfectly safe. He will give you whatever you want. Hear H i s sweet counsel from within with one-pointed mind and fol low.
Jilly-jallying (LIN G UAL DIARRHOEA) Too much talking is Jilly-j al lying. If a man talks too much, he suffers from diarrhoea of the tongue. There are persons who talk i n a speed of fi ve hundred words per second. There i s a n electric talking dynamo in their tongues. They are restless people. If you lock these people for a day in a soli tary-room, they wil l die. Much energy is wasted by too much talking. The energy that is spent in talking must be conserved and util i sed for di vine contemplation. The Vak-Indriya distracts the mind considerably and retards spiritual progress. A talkative man cannot dream of having peace even for a short time. This is another obstacle for the aspirants. B y observance of Mauna, you should gradual ly diminish the habit of talking. Japa, meditation, study and solitude are the effecti ve means to remove this obstacle.
· Name and Fame {KIRTI AND PRATISHTHA)
One can renounce even wife, son, property, etc., but it is difficult to renounce name and fame. Pratishtha is established name and fame. This is a great obstacle in the path of God-reali sation. This brings downfall in the end. This does not al low the aspirant to march forward in the spiritual path. He
PRACTICE OF YOGA becomes a slave of respect and honour. As soon as the aspirant gets some purity and ethical progress, ignorant people flock to him and pay homage and salutations. The aspirant gets puffed up with pride. He thinks that he is a great Mahatma now. He becomes eventual l y a sl ave of his admirers. He cannot notice his slow downfall. The moment he mixes up freely with householders, he loses what little he has gai ned during his Tapas of eight or· ten years. He cannot i nfluence the public now and bring spiritual good to the public. The admirers also will l eave him in the end because they do not find any solace, peace or spiritual i nfluence in his company. The people imagi ne that the Mahatma has got Siddhis and they can get chi ldren, wealth and remedy for removal of diseases through his grace. They always approach a Sadhu with various moti ves. The aspirant through bad association loses his Vairagya and Viveka. Attachment and desires wil l crop up. Therefore an aspirant shou l d hide himself always. Nobody should know what sort of Sadhana he is doi ng. He should never attempt to exhi bit · any Siddh i . He should be very humble. He should pass for qui te an ordinary man. He should not accept any rich present from householders. He will be affected by the bad thoughts of those who offer presents. He should treat respect, honour, name and fame as dung or poi son. He should wear disrespect and dishonour as a golden necklace. Then only he w i l l reach the goal safely. Bui lding of Ashrams and i ni tiating disciples bring about the downfall of the aspirant as they bri ng name and fame. They are also stu mb li ng bloc ks i n the path of God-real isation. The aspirant becomes another sort of householder.. He develops institutional egoism. He gets attached to the Ashram and disciples. He has the same cares, worries a nd anxiety for running the Ashram, printing a magazine and feedi ng his disciples. He develops slave-mentality and weak w i l l . Thoughts of the Ashram revolve in his mind when he is in a dying condition. Some Ashrams are nicely conducted by their 'spiritual heads' while they are alive. When they pass away, the disciples who are petty-minded fight amongst themsel ves. Cases are filed in courts. Ashrams become fighti ng centres afterwards. Ashram owners have to flatter the donors and have to appeal for the funds very often . How can thoughts of God remain in their mi nds, when they have their minds fixed in col l ection of money and developi ng the Ashrams? Those who have started the Ashrams may say now: "We are · doing good to the people in
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various ways. We are hav i ng religious classes dai ly. We feed the poor people. We are givi ng free education to poor boys." These activities may be purely for name and fame. Even if they do not have this desire in the begin ning, gradually they will get name and fame . They w i l l ignore their Sadhana and forget the goal God-reali sation. Aspirants should ruthlessly shun name and fame.
Irregularity and Cessation of Sadhana This is also a great obstacle in the path of realisation. Just as you are regular in taking your food� so also you must be very regular i n your Sadhana. You must chalk out a dai l y routine (Di nacharya) and fol l ow it regularly. Irregularity in Sadhana . cannot produce the desired result. Leniency to the m i nd w i l l upset the whole programme. You must be regular in your Sadhana with asinine patience, adamantine w i l l , firm determination and unshakable faith. Then success is certain. General ly the Sadh aka is very enthusiastic in his Sadhana i n t he begi nning. He is ful l of zeal. He takes a great deal of interest. He expects to get some results. When he does not get any result, he gets discouraged. He loses his interest i n his Abhyasa and slackens his efforts . He gi ves up his Sadhana completely. He loses his faith in the efficacy of the Sadhana. Sometimes the mind gets disgusted with one particular kind of Sadhana. Just as m i nd wants some variety i n food and other things, so also it wants variety i n the mode of Sadhana also. It rebels against monotonous practice. The aspirant should know how to coax the mind on such occasions and to extract work from it by a little relaxation of m i nd. The cessation of Sadhana is a grave mistake. Evil thoughts w i l l be ever waiti ng to re-enter the gates of the mental factory. If the aspirant stops his Sadhana, his m i nd wi l l be a Satan's workshop. Do not expect anything. Be si ncere and regular in your daily routine, meditation and Tapas. The Sadhana w i l l take care of itself. Spiritual practices should never be gi ven up under any circumstance. Stop not (the Sadhana) till the Goal is reached. The Sadhaka gets some experience during the course of his Sadhana. He sees wonderful visions of Rishis, Mahatmas, astral entities of various descriptions , etc. He hears various melodious Anahata-sou nds . He smells D i vya Gandha (divine odour). He gets the powers of thought-reading, foretel l i ng, etc. He fool ishly imagines now that he has reached the highest goal and stops his further Sadhana. This is also a serious m istake. He gets false Tushti or sati sfaction . Vi sions and A nahata�so unds are a l l
PRACTICE OF YOGA auspi cious si gns tnat manifest on account of a little purity and concentration. These are al l encouragements which Goo gives as a sort of i ncentive for further progress and intense Sadhana. The aspirant gets · more strength of . conviction by having these experiences. This is not the Goal. Sadhana must be conti nued. Rasasvada is another kind of experience. It is bliss that comes from lower Savikalpa Samadhi . The S adhaka who has experienced this super-sensual bliss i magines that he has reached the final destination and gives up his Sadhana. Just as a man is not satisfied with the petty thi ngs he has found out just beneath the surface of the ground and goes on digging the earth very deep to find out the most precious hidden treasures and gems, so also the Sadhaka should not be sati sfied with Rasasvada but continue his Sadhana till he gets the unconditioned B huma, the highe&t goal of life. He should never be sati sfied with Alpa or lower experiences. He should compare his experiences with the highest experiences of sages that are described in the Upanishads and find out whether they exactly tal ly with them or not. He should exert till he reaches the seventh Jnana-Bhumika, til l he becomes a Brahma-varishtha. He should struggle hard and conti nue Sadhana til l he gets the inner feel i ng of: "Apta-Kama, Krita-Kritya, Prapta-prapya-1 have obtai ned all desires, I have done everythi ng, I know everything. There is nothing more to be known . There is nothing more to be obtained." ·
Lack of a Preceptor The spiritual path is thorny rugged and prectpttous. It is en veloped by darkness. The guidance of a Guru who has already trodden the path i s imperati vely necessary. He wi l l be able to throw li ght on the path and to remove the obstacles of the Sadhaka. The knowledge of the Self is revealed through Parampara and handed down from Guru to the disciple in succession. Matsyendranath taught B rahma-Vidya to Nivrittinath. Ni vritti nath gave the knowledge to Jnana Dev and so on. ' Gaudapada initiated Govi ndapada i nto the mysteries of Kaivalya. Govi ndapada i nstructed Sankaracharya. Sankaracharya i nstructed S uresvaracharya and so on. The spiritual -path is quite a different l ine altogether. It is not l i ke wri ting thesis for M . A . exami nation. The help of a teacher i s necessary at every moment. Young aspirants become self-sufficient, arrogant and self-assertive in these days. They do not care to carry ,out the orders of a Guru. They do not wish to ·
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have a Guru. They want i ndependence from the very beginning . They apply the Neti-Neti doctrine and Bhaga-Tyaga-Laksi;J ana in selecting a Guru and declare: "Na Gurur na Sishyah Chidananda Rupah Sivoham Sivoham. " They think that they are in the Turiya-A vastha when they do not know even the ABC of spirituality or truth . They mistake l icentiousn ess or "having their own ways and sweet will" for freedom. This is a serious, lamentable mistake. That is the reason why they do not grow. They lose faith in the efficacy of Sadhana, and i n the existence of God. They wander about i n a happy-go-lucky manner without any ai m from Kashmir to Gangotri and from Gangbtri to Ramesvaram , tal king some nonsense on the way, something from the Vicharasagara, the Panchadasi and the Gita. They pose as Jivanmuktas. He who l i ves under the guidance of a Guru for a long time and who carries out implicitly the instructions of the Guru can reall y improve i n the spiritual path. There i s n o other way for spiritual progress. As long as there is world, there are spiritual teachers and spiritual books. If you cannot get an ideal Guru, you can take as your Guru any man who is treading the path of realisation for some years, who is straightforward and honest, who is selfless, who is free from pride and egoism, who has good character and know ledge of Sastras . Live with him for some time. S tudy him careful ly. If you are satis fied; take him as your preceptor and follow his instructions strictly. After you have accepted him once as your Guru, never suspect him and never find fault with him. Do not change the Guru also very often. You will be bewildered. You will get different conflicti ng ideas. Everybody has got his own Sadhana. You will fi nd . no improvement if you change frequently your method of Sadhana. Stick to one Guru and carry out his instructions.
Fear This little ' I ' is the pivot on which fear, anger, del usion, desires, etc., are revol ving from beginning less ti me. There is not the least hope of getti ng rid of this fear, unless you completely root out this little T which clings to the physical body of flesh and bone. Fear is Maya's deception. It is a mental creation. It is . ·an imaginary zero. It is an effect of ignorance. It is · a Vritti that emanates from the Chitta when one has lost his power of Vichara. It is a dark wave that proceeds from the ocean of Antahkarana when one has intense attachment to the body. It is a Parinama of
·
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the mind when one i dentifies himself with the body and calls himself: "I am Mr. So and so." When this little 'I' manifests, there comes Moha. From this fear comes in. Fear is the product of Moha. How can a man expect happiness i n this world if he is a victim of fear even though he is a multimillionaire or .an emperor c;>f thi s whole world? Fear is a kind of fire that consumes man slowly. Some make no progress in life beca�se of a hidden fear. They do not avail themsel ves of opportunities on account of some hidden fear, which, if seized, wi l l lead to a much better and harmonious life. A l most all are victims of fear. Some are afraid of disease, i l l-health , loss of property, old age and death. Others fear that they will lose their position, prestige, respect, honour, rank · in life, and are afraid of public opi nion, criticism, disgrace, calumny and scandal. Those who have got a leaning mentality are very much afraid when their dear relati ves are seriously ai ling. Some fear that poverty and di saster may come to them. There are some who are afraid of even a cat at night. When anybody taps the door at night, some are al armed terri bly. Maya will never spare anybody from fear. · The student has fear for his teacher. The minister has fear for his king. A woman i s afraid of her husband. One power i s afraid of another power. A thief i s afraid of the police. A banker is afraid of robbers. Even a very healthy, strong man is afraid of some imagi nary di seases. Even in dreams people are affli9ted with terrible fear. Just hear what B hatrihari says: "In enj oy ment, there is the fear of disease; in rank, the fear of downfall; i n riches, the fear of adverse kings; in honour, the fear of dishonour; i n power, the fear of enemies; in beauty, the fear of old age; in learning, the fear of opponents; in righteousness, the fear of slanderers; and in body, the fear of death. There is fear i n al l things o f the world-but there is no fear i n renunciation alone." Fear drains the energy quickly. It destroys the vitality. It produces poverty of blood. It produces indi gestion, headache and debility. It paralyses the brain and nerves. It makes one morose ana gloomy. It retards growth, structure and nutrition. Extreme fear bri ngs i mmediate dea�h by causing heart fai lure. When one meets a tiger face to face in the forest, the body becomes rigid and paralysed and the m i nd becomes l i ke a log of wood. Thinking and reasoni ng vanish. The victim becomes dumb.
OBSTACLES IN YOGA One may not be afraid of the knife of a surgeon. One may submit hi msel f fearlessly to extraction of a strong tooth without cocaine injection or to any operation without chloroform. One may not have any fear for wild ani mals in thick forests. He may move about fearlessly in thick j u ngles. One may not be afraid of the machine-gun in the battlefield. He may fearlessly expose his chest to the bul lets. But such fearless people may be afraid of slight public criticism or sl ight disease or the sight of a centipede or a snake. Auto-suggestion wi ll help you a lot in removing fear. By developing courage you can destroy fear. Pray and make perfect self-surrender. Have no attachment for this body. Cast it off j ust like a snake throws away its slough. M ake up your m i nd to give up the body at any moment. Become absolutely fearless. Exhibit courage a11d manliness. Fearlessness i s one of the i mportant signs of a Ji vanmukta. How blessed are they who have victory over fear ! How peacefu l and strong are they who have triu mph over fright !
Anger Anger is another chief obstacle. It is born of Rajas. It is the gre·atest enemy of peace. It is a modification of l ust. When a desire is not gratified a man becomes angry. His mind becomes confused. He loses his memory and understanding. Resentment, indi gnation, fury, wrath, irritation, etc., are all varieties of anger according to intensity. Control anger by the practice of Kshama, Dhairya, love and absence of egoism. Drin k a little water w hen you become angry. It w i l l cool the brain and cal m the excited nerves. Repeat: "Om Santih" several times . Count twenty, one by one, slowly. By the ti me you fi nish counti ng twenty, anger w i l l subside. If you fi nd it extremely difficult to control anger, leave the place immediately and take a long walk for half an hour. Pray to God. Do Japa. Meditate. Meditation gives immense strength to destroy anger and al l other obstacles. From Moha, Kama (passion, desire) comes. From this, anger manifests . From anger, all other evil qual ities such as greed, pride, jealousy, hatred, prejudice, bi gotry, fau ltfinding, backbiting, hypocrisy,.self-j ustification, etc., emanate. A man thirsts for name, fame and applause. A sub-j udge desires to become a High Court Judge. A Sadhu wants to get psychic powers. A Sannyasin wants to open several Ashrams in different centres. All these are only forms of greed. Dislike, contempt,
PRACTICE OF YOGA prej udice, sneering, taunting, redicul i ng, mocking, frowning, showing wry faces, are all forms of hatred. If the father dislikes a man, his sons and daughters also begin to hate that man without any. reason whatsoever. S uch is the power of hatred. An Englishman hates an Irishman ; a Catholic hates a Protestant and a Mohammedan hates a Hindu and vice versa. This is communal hatred. A son files a suit against his own father. The wife divorces her husband. These are all the manifestations of hatred havi ng selfish moti ves at the back. Hatred ceases not by hatred but by pure love only. It lurks in different corners. It needs i ntense and constant meditation and selfless service for a number of years. Vedanta in daily life when put i nto actual practice and service w ith Atma-Bhava can eradicate hatred and all other vices and bring in Advaitic realisation of oneness of I ife. I have told you i n several places that these evi l qualities should be destroyed completely. Many i nstructions to destroy all these are al ready given. If you want spiritual progress, you should remove all these . These are all obstacles in the path of Self-realisation. Stand up now l i ke an u ndaunted spiritual soldier in the Adhyatmic battlefield and destroy these enemies. Become a spiritual hero. Overcome the obstacles one by one and manifest di yine glory, splendour, purity and sanctity.
Force of Samskaras Some time ago, there lived in Karur, a big mercantile town in Tiruchirapally District, a ful ly developed Raja Yogi, by name Sadasiva B rahman. He was as . famous as Tril inga S wami of Varanasi . He used to sit i n Samadhi for six months. He was a great Titikshu and a Vairagi . He used to have a Kaupi na only and sleep on bare ground. Once, there was a huge flood in the Kaveri River, and Sadasiva Brahman, who was i n Samadhi , was carried away by the flood and deposited i n some other place. One day, he was lying on the bare ground and had two pieces of bricks as hi s p i l l ow. Some boys who were tending the cows mocked at him saying: "C-ook at this Mahatma ! He has nothing except a Kaupina and yet, he wants comforts. He wants a pil low. Can he not l ie down without pil low?" This l ittle word produced a vibration i n his mind and affected him a bit. He i mmediately threw away the bricks. This goes to show that even great saints who can remain i n Samadhi even for months together are liabl to be affected by
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praise or censure. S uch is the force of Samskaras. From ti me immemorial, praise and censure have produced their i mpressions of exhilaration and depression on the mind. Yajnavalkya also once cursed a man to death. It is said he had also minute trace of anger, subtle desire for money and cattle as was shown i n the court of Janaka, despite his B rahma-Jnana. There is a popul ar v iew that Jnani ns also wi l l have a slight trace of Raga, Dvesha, anger, etc. B ut this is A bhasamatra, for name 's sake only. Not real. The difference between a Jnani and a worldly man is that in the case of the former, it w i l l be momentary as i n the case of chil dren, while in the l atter, it will be continuous. A Jnani w i l l forget it immediately, but a worldly man will keep it in the heart for a very long ime. The impression of anger that is produced i n the mind of a Jnani may be compared to the i mpression produced i n water by a stroke of a walking stick. It is not lasting. The wave dies very soon. Most of the difficul ties in our dai l y l i ves come from bei ng unable to hold our minds i n proper check. For instance, if a man does evi l to us, instantly we want to react· evil , to revenge, to pay him in the same coin, to extract tooth for tooth-tit for tat policy-to return anger for anger. Every reaction of evil shows that we are not able to hold the Chitta down . It comes out i n waves towards the object and w e l ose our power. Every reaction in the form of hatred or evil is so much loss to the mind and every evil thought or deed of hatred, if it is controlled, w i l l be laid i n our favour. It is not that we l ose by thus restraining ourselves but we gain infinitely. Each time we suppress hatred, or feelings of anger, it is so much good; energy is stored up in our favour and that energy w i l l be converted into higher power. Anger, when control led properly, becomes transmuted i nto an energy so powerful as to move the world. The sum total of impressions always remains i n the mind. Impressions, though they become latent for a time, remai n in the mind all the same and as soon as they get the right kind of stimulus, manifest themselves. The vi brations of the Chitta subside external ly, after each direct perception, but continue to go on in it like atomic vibrations, and when they get the right kind of impulse, come out again . A word is uttered and we d o not �ait to consider its meaning, but j ump to a conclusion immediately. It is a sign of weal
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The weaker the man is, the lesser he has the power of restraint. Measure yourself al ways with the standard of restraint. . When you are goi ng to be angry or miserable on hearing some news, reason it out, and see how it has thrown your mind i nto such Yritti s. Restraint does not come i n a day, but by long continued practice. S uppose, when you are passing through the bazaar, a man comes and takes away forcibly your nice walking stick. That throws your Chitta i mmediately i nto the form of a wave, termed anger. Do not allow that wave to develop. If you can prevent the formation of that wave, you will have strong will-power, renunciati on and Vairagya.
Samskara-Raksha (PROTECT SPI R ITUAL I M PRESSIO N S) Though through the purity of mind derived from the performance of holy duties in last births, you feel confidence that the Veda is the source of true knowledge, and you are anxious to attai n the summum bonum through knowledge, yet you are drifted here and there in objects of pleasure, bei ng i nfluenced by the latent i mpressions of evils, Vishaya Samskaras. This attachment to worldly thi ngs, which acts as a barrier in the attai nment of Truth, must be crushed down by proper Vichara, Yiveka and well-directed strenuous efforts. For some months, you remain i n cl osed rooms and y o u progress wel l with good concentration and medi tati on . A l l on a sudden, some disturbance or other comes and upsets your medi tation. Your friends are your real enemies in one way. They drag you . for some business or other into the world. You are dragged forcibly through moral sentiments. It is irresistible. It i s of course, i nevitable. You should call this as a form of weakness. To sacrifice your ideal , for the sake of pleasing some of your i nti mate friends is really far from commendable. By your mixing with these worldli ngs, your new spiritual Samskaras will be obliterated, w i l l be effaced and you will find it extremely difficult to regain your original state, despite your redoubled efforts.
Danger of Mixing Mixing with worldly-minded persons is highly disastrous for a Sadhaka. The two currents are diametrically opposite. A worldly-mi nded man and a Sadhaka move i n diametrically •Opposite poles. A worldly · man i s very fond of talking. He is garrulous. He suffers from l i ngual diarrhoea. Gossiping, idle talk,
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long tal k, big tal k, tal l talk , all afford h i m great pleasure, whereas a Sadhaka is a man of few words, to the poi nt and that also on spiritual matters. Worldly topics do not interest him at alL On the contrary they give him acute pain. The mode of thinki ng also differs i n two cases. I n the instance of a worldly man thi nki ng consists of wife, chi ldren and the ways to amass wealth, the mean s of sensual enjoyment. The thinking is very shal low. A Sadhaka has subli me thi nking of Brahman. A worldly man does an action always with a selfish motive. A Sadhaka does anything unselfishly with a strong feeling that the whole world i s nothing but his own Self. lf a worldly man has Rs. 1 00/- with him, he always thi nks of savi ng for the future. A S adhaka spends the whole amount on the same day. A worldly man is a man of complexity and multiplicity. A Sadhaka is a man of simplicity. A worldly man wants company. A Sadhaka wants entire solitude. You must always remain alone. Th is is a very, very important matter. I have to agai n reiterate that . this is indispensably req uisite. I have to emphatically assert again that solitude is a sine qua non. I have to agai n impress upon your mind that solitude for Sadhana is a great desideratum. "0 solitude ! Where are thy own charms?" This was the spontaneous flow of expression from a poet when he was one with the nature-senti ments of the sublime and the beautifu l . If you have once tasted properly to the very depth the happi ness of sol itude, you wi l l never leave it at any cost. It is only those who have a preponderating Vishaya Samskara that flutter about from Brindavan to Benares, from Benares to Jagannath Puri, l i ke a wild butterfly. Solitary places like S wargashram, Rishike s h and Uttarakasi have a beautiful charm of their own. It is i ndescribable. It is to be felt and understood by the subtle Nididhyasana-Buddh i . A gross , worldly practical Buddhi can never discriminate and understand the beauty and peace of such remarkable places, the supreme abodes of sages and Rishis. The spiritual vibratory . conditions that are present in these places can, by themselves, take a man to S amadhi without any efforts. The Himalayan vibrations, soothing and sou l -elevating infl uence of holy Ganga can turn an in veterate atheist and a materi alist i nto a staunch spiritualist. Live for three months in these places. Reali se the charm, grandeur and benign intl uence of solitude. Back to the poi nt. In the world, there are minds in various stages or growth. There are people of diverse mentali ties. There i s mult iplicity o f minds. There are two sets o f currents, attraction and
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repulsion in the mi nd. When you mix with people of different mentality, you are naturally attracted towards some and repel led by others. Secondly, there is the jealousy-current also. When you see other persons who are i n the possession of hi gher virtues, etc., you wi l l be naturally affected during your earl ier stages of Abhyasa. These hosti le currents are unfavourable, as they disturb the peace of . mi nd. So meditation will suffer. Further when you mix, you will have to tal k much . You. w i l l- be forced to talk. That means wastage of energy. A l l energies must be very carefully conserved by a Sadhaka. All the doors must be entirely shut out, through complete Pratyahara. Thirdly, if you do not know how to protect yourself, your valuable Prana will pass away to other persons. Your magnetic aura, your mental aura, your Pranic aura w i l l pass to other weak persons. This is termed as vampirism. There will be considerable l oss of Prana. You must know the process of protecting yourself by developing an aural she l l . A young mango nursery has to be fenced properly in the beginning. A small fire started by the col lection of few dried leaves or bits of straw wi l l doubtless be extinguished if you suddenly introduce a big log of wood in the fi re. You are l i ke the mango nursery or l ike the small fire in Sadhana stage. How can you withstand against the hosti le currents of the world? What you have gai ned in five yeats through hard practice will be i rrecoverably lost i n a month by promiscuous m i x i ng w ith worldli ngs. Several persons have complained to me that they have lost the power of concentration by mixi ng and they cannot attain the same state they had duri ng .the secl usion. You should not enter the world before five or six years of seClusion. You m ust test how you fare when you enter the world. If you are not a bit affected, if you can keep the constant balance of mi nd, i f you 'can rest i n the Atman, you can move i n the world. Otherwise wait for some ti me more in seclusion and continue Sadhana. There is no harm in your m i x i ng with a congenial person who i s also devoted to meditation, study and other spiritual pursuits, for one hour dai ly, and i n whose company you notice pleasure and elevation of thought. You can discuss on various abstruse and philosophical points. You w i l l find this useful . You can be in the company of higher, spiritual personages who enter into Samadhi. J:heir company i s. highly beneficial . Insti nct will speak aloud from within that such and such company is elevating and such and such
OBSTACLES IN YOGA company is depressi ng. If you fi nd that the company of a certain person gives even the least depression, shun h i m the very moment. I know of several persons who have had a terrible downfall from their spiritual heights, owi ng to i ndi scriminate and promiscuous m i xi ng. They have entered the world hastil y without testi ng. They have been reduced to a level worse than a worldly man. Old, evil Samskar!lS are only waiting for an opportunity to crush you down . A l l the old Vasanas return and attack y ou w i th a tremendous force. The cravings become accentuated and intensified duri ng the period of downfall . You will find it difficult to rise agai n . Al ways protect your Samskaras. Do not allow them t o be obliterated. It is di fficult to regain what is lost. Exercise Vichara and Viveka. always. Uti l i se your wi l l to resist evil influences. Ever control the lndriyas. Have perfect Vai ragya. Dull type of Vairagya is of no use. It must be sharp and sharper too. If you allow the senses to run riot, Viveka and the spiritual Samskaras will be annihilated. Live in secl usion. Do not m i x . Observe Mauna. You can be quite safe. You will be far away from the danger-zone. When you have become a S i ddha, enter the world and give spiritual uplift to the humanity. Sri Aurobindo Ghosh had shut himself up in one room i n Pondicherry for many years. H e had never come out for a walk outside even for a single day. This is truth. This is not exaggeration. His brother Sri B hari nder, M.A., a developed Yogi al so had shut hi mself up in a room for some years. Mahatma Kri shna Ashram is in seclusion with Kaashtha Mauna, in D harali village near Gangotri since many years. Lord B uddha shut himsel( up in Uruvala forest for six years . Lord Jesus Christ was in seclusion for eighteen years (the missing period). S wami Rama Tirtha had secl usion in Brahmapuri near Rishikesh for a couple of years. Why not you also become a Jesus or Buddha of world-wide celebrity? ·
Everything should be done slow ly. It i s very, very difficult for a man who was i n the world to shut himself up now completely i n the room and observe Mauna also. I t is very painful and troublesome for a begi n ner. He . should slowly train himself. He shou ld gradua l l y trai n the mind by observ i n g Mauna o nce a week and remai ning i n the room for certain number of hours . He should have walk i n the e ve n i ng along the Ganga o r along the seas ide or any suitable p l ace. For a Sadh u , fresh air,
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invi gorating cold bath s, e ve n i ng stro l l , moderate exercise are very essenti a l . H e cannot afford to have m i l k, ghee, etc . , and he has to depend upon hel p from Nature i n a variety of ways. A l l throughout the Sadhana-period, strong com mon-sense should be used. After a period of two or three years, you w i l l be able to remain alone in a cl osed room all throughout the day. B ecause, you now know the process of Manana (reflecti on) and Nididhyasana (profound medi tati on). You can spend six hours in meditation and six hours in Svadhyaya. The m i nd has now properly adj usted to the new l i fe . There w i l l b e no trouble. You w i l l be highly del ighted to remain al one al ways. You do not l i ke to be disturbed even for a day. You do not want to lose the peace and b l i s s of solitude. Now you depend on the Atman withi n for your help, strength and happi ness and not without. You are now fu l l y aware that all knowledge comes fro m w i thin . You are now a changed being. You have a . changed psychology. Worldly-m i nded perso n s cannot properly comprehend your metamorphosed nature.
Pratipaksha-Bhavana Evil tende ncies are very deeply im bedded in our nature. They require the most heroic efforts to dislodge them and the only way to d i s l odge them i s to repl ace them by higher mental states and opposite good tendencies. A bad habit of thought or action is more easi l y eradicated by suppl anting it with a good habit-one that is directl y opposed to the habit which you desire to get rid of. To tear out a bad habit by the roots requires al most superhuman strength of wi l l , but to crowd it out by nursing a good habit i n its pl ace is far easier and seems to be nature 's p l a n . The good habit w i l l gradually crowd the bad one unti l it cannot exist, and then after a fi nal struggle, it w i l l expire . This is the easiest way to ki l l out undes irable habits and traits. Evil thinking and evi l acti ons can be counteracted by sublime th inking and virtuous acti ons. Love is eternal and natural . Hatred is temporary and is a Vikara or unnatural modification. Courage is eternal <:md natural . Courage is a virtue. Fear is temporary and is an unnatural modification. Daya is a virtue. It is eternal and natural . Ghrina or weak pity is an unnatural modification. Hatred should be checked by raising an opposite wave of love. Al ways l ook into the good poi nts or bright side of a man. Train the m i nd slowly in this direction by repeated efforts. You may fail fifty times, but you w i l l succeed i n the fifty-fi rst attempt. It is sure and doubtless. The natural tendency of
OBSTACLES IN YOGA a Rajasic m i nd is to fi)ld out the defects or weak poi nts of a man, to rai se a wave of deep hatred, to criticise, blame and condemn, to fight and quarre l . Sattvic nature wi l l always l ook i nto the bright side of a man, ignore the Doshas (defects), bear the ridicule of the cavi llers, sceptics and scandal-mongerers, excuse, forgive, pity, and sympathise wjth others. When a wo man is quarre l l i ng with her hu sband, her c h i l d fal l s down in her lap . S he ki sses the c h i l d and forgets the di spute. She l aughs heartily. The presence of her c h i l d has raised an oppos ite modification of l ove to cou nteract the evil effects of anger and hatred. S i m i l arly, al l b ad tendencies and Yasanas can be completely eradicated by the cu lti vation of opposite, pos iti ve virtues. Just as a gardener pl ants in his garden various ki nds of flowers by proper efforts and care, we can also grow in our heart various virtues which are indispensably requ isite for spiritual growth. We w i l l have to watch every month as to how far these qual i ties have been developed. A l l o l d bad qualities w i l l try their level best t o resist eviction; they w i l l try to persist and recur, to re-enter the system. We must always be on the alert. I n the long run, we can have complete self-mastery. Combat desire through Yichara, control of senses, renunciation of thought, S i voham B h avana. There is no desire i n Brah man. D o not plan. D o not make false i magi nations. Do not build castles in the air l i ke Alnaskar. Do not attempt to fulfi l the desires. Destroy all emotions. The desi res w i l l dwindle and die by themse l ves. Control anger by Kshama, by developi ng uni versal love and fee l i ng of u n i ty. Where i s the second person on whom to exhibit anger? It is al l ignorance. "Ekam e va advitiyam : One only without a second." Have these thoughts constantly in your mind. Destroy Lobha by spontaneous charity and l i beral ity (Udarata). Annihilate egoi sm by 'Aham Brahmasmi ' Bhavana. There i s nothing but Brahman. Crush self-conceit through humility. Remove pride by N ishkama Karma. Destroy fear by developi ng courage, by feeling of unity, by S i voham B havana. Destroy passions by Tapas. Purify the emotions through Maitri, Karuna and Arjava. Drive out jealousy by Mudita. Develop your wil l-power by dri ving desires, by Titiksha and strong patience. Acquire peace by Sattvic contentment, Santosha, Yichara, Satsanga strong patience, Sannyasa and Samadhi.
CHAPTER NINE
M EDITATION Part One
A U X ILIARIE S
Places for Meditation The world will not suit you for meditation. There are many disturbing causes. The environments are not elevati ng. Your friends are your worst enemies. They take away all your time through vain talks. It is inevitable. You are puzzled. You are worried. Then you try to get out of the environments. To save ti me, money and wanderings, I shal l mention some good places. You can select one of these places . The place must be of a temperate cli mate and must suit you during summer, rainy season and wi nter. You must stick to one place for three years with firm determi nation. As all . places combine some advantages and di sadvantages, you w i l l have to select that place which has more advantages and less disadvantages. Everything is relative in thi s world. You can hardly get a place that can satisfy you from all viewpoi nts. It is an i mpossibility. You must not shift when you get some inconvenience. You must put up w ith it. There is no benefit in frequent wanderings. Do not compare one place with another. Maya tempts you i n various ways. Use your Viveka and reason. M ussoorie will appear to you most charmi ng when you are at Si mla. S i m l a w i l l appear more del ightful when you are at Mussoorie. Do not bel ieve the m i nd and senses any more. Enough, enough of their tricks. No more. Be on the watch, to guard yourself from sense-deceptions and temptations. First, I suggest Rishikesh and Swargashram. They are wonderful places for medi tation . They are admirably adapted. Charm and spiritual infl uence are simply marvel lous. You can put up your cottage. U ttarakasi, Brahmapuri, Garuda Chetty and Nilakanth near Rishikesh are other nice places. Almora and Nainital are also good. Any village on the banks of Ganga, Narmada, Yamuna is beautifu l . Kul l u valley and Champa valley i n Kashmir are quite suitable. I f you want a cave-life, go i n for Vasishtha-Guha, . fourteen m i les from Rishikesh. It is a beautiful cave, where Swami Rama Tirtha l i ved for some time . Milk is available from the
MEDITATION neighbouri ng vil lage . Ram Guha i n B rahmapuri near Rishikesh is another good and charming place. You can get dry rations for fifteen days from Kali Kaml ivalla's Kshetra. Bamrughi Guha, near Tehri, Hi malayas, is a good cave. You w i l l find many v i l l ages near Tehri for contemplation. Mural i Dhar has built a fi ne, Pukka Kutir with a fine garden. You can have this also. Mount Abu is a beautiful cool place. Cool places are needed for meditation. The brain gets tired very soon i n a hot place. I n a cool place, you can meditate a l l twenty-four hours. You w i l l not feel exhaustion. Maharaj as of A lwar and Limbdi have bui l t nice caves in· Mount Abu and arranged food and other conveniences for good, educated Sadhus only. Lakshman jhula is an other good place. There is ample space for erection of new cottages. Brahmavarta, near Kanpur is a suitable place. There are many good pl aces seven m i les beyond Mathura on the banks of Yamuna. Uttarakasi has beautiful, spiritual vibratory conditions. You can stay in a soli tary place called Lakshesvar. ·
Brahmamuhurta 0 aspirant ! Get up at B rahmamuhurta. Do not fai l at any cost.
Brahmamuhurta is th_e morni ng period from 3.30 to 6.00. It is very favourable for meditation. The mind is quite refreshed after good sleep. It is quite cal m and serene. There i s a preponderance of Sattva in the system. In the atmosphere also, Sattva predominates at this hour. In the wi nter, it is not necessary that you should have a cold bath. A mental bath will suffice. Answer the cal ls of nature. Cleanse the teeth. Wash the face. Dash cold water on the face and on top of the head. Sit in Padma Asana or Siddha Asana. Try to climb to the heights of B rahman with vibrations. Even if you are not in the habit of getti ng up early, have an al arm timepiece. Once the habit is establ ished, there is no difficulty. The subconscious mind or Chitta becomes a w i l l ing servant of the wi l l . If you are subject to chronic constipation you can drink some cold water, say one tumblerfu l , as soon as you get up, after cleansing the teeth. This is the Ushapana treatment in the science of Hatha Yoga. This will give a good motion. Persons of hard guts can use Triphala water. Soak 2 Harads (myroballum), 2 Amalakas and 2 Thandrikkais i n half a tumblerful of cold water at night. Dri nk the water in the morning after washi ng the teeth.
Meditation Room Everyone of you should have a separate room for meditation. Th is is a sine qua non. Place your lshta Devata in the room. Keep
·
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in the room also a few philosophical books such as the Bhagavad G i ta, the Yoga-Vasi shtha, 1 2 classical Upanishads and the Vi vekachudamani . Do not al low anybody to enter the room-even your wife, children or friends. You also should enter the room after a bath. Burn incense and camphor as. offeri ng to the Ishta Devata twice dai ly-morning and eveni ng. Practise meditation in the room in the morning 4 to 5 and at night 8 to 9 systematicall y. Whenever you feel depressed, enter the room . Study the books for half an hour. Si lence the thoughts. Sti l l the mi nd. Think of the auspicious qualities of God-Santam, S i vam, Subham, S undaram, Kantam, etc. Repeat the Mantra "Om Santih Santih Santih " several times. You w i l l be dou btless immediately i nvigorated. Practi se. Try. Feel . Experience. Do much. Tal k l ittle. Make it a poi nt to sit at least for half an hour dai ly in the room although you have pressure of work. Where there is a w i l l , there is a way. If you have this kind of practice systematically, you wi l l fi nd a better Mussoorie, Ooty, Darjeel i ng or Simla in your meditation room. You need not go for a change. Real ise what I say. Do not waste the ti me. Avoid al l idle tal ks . Time is al l money. Do not waste even a single second. Very few know the val ue of time and life. Remember the death-warrant from Yamaraj always.
Time for Meditation At the commencement, have two sittings only, once in the morn i ng 4 to 5 and at night 6 to 8. After six months or one year, according to your mental cal ibre, you can have three sitti ngs, with a third sitting i n the afternoon 4 to 5 . In the Ashram of Sri Aurobi ndo at Pondicherry, Yogic students have three sittings. You can increase the period of concentration to two hours at each sitti ng. I n summer, it is rather i rksome and difficult owing to perspiration. So, have only two sitti ngs duri ng summer. The loss can be made up i n . winter. Winter is very favourable for medi tation. You w i l l find Rishi kesh , Swargashram admirably suitable for contempl ative purposes. Wi nter and early part of spri ng are the best seasons for beginners to commence meditation. In wi nter, the m i nd is not ti red at al l .. You can meditate even for 24 hours w i thout the least exhaustion. That is the reason why Sadhus select Rishikesh for meditation in wi nter. The period of meditation should be gradual ly increased with caution. The meditation should not be by fits and starts. It should be wel l regulated and steady. You must use al ways your commonsense and reason all throughout the Sadhana period. You shou ld ascend the summit of Yoga
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graduall y, s lowly, stage by stage, step by step. You must not give up the practice even for a few days.
How Many Hours to Meditate To start with, you can meditate for half an hour in the morni ng, 4 to 4.30 and for half an hour at night 8 to 8.30. Morning time is the best for meditation. The mind is refreshed after sound sleep. Further, Sattva predomi nates in the system as i n the surrounding atmosphere. In the Yoga-Vasishtha, Sri Vasishtha says: "0 Rama, give '14 mind for meditation in the beginning; '14 mind for recreation; '14 mind for study ; '14 mind for service of Guru . Then Yx mind for meditation; 'Is for recreation; 3/s mind for· study; 'Is mind for service of Guru ." Here recreation means acts like washing, cleani ng, etc. It does not mean Golf play or Rugby. This recreation is meant for rel axation of mind or diversion of m i nd after concentration and meditation. Otherw ise the mind feels tired and refuses to work. Then gi ve '1 mind for meditation; '1 m i nd for study. I ncrease the time of meditation graduall y. After two months, increase the period to one hour, each time, 4 to 5 a.m. and 8 to 9 p.m. A fter a year, increase the time to 1 '12 hours i n the morning and I '1 hours at night. In the third year two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening; in the fourth year three hours in the morning and three hours at night. This is for the vast majority of persons. An earnest Sadhaka with strong vital i ty and subtle inte l l ect can medi tate for s i x hours in the first year of his Sadhana. Yo�:� must study congenial books as the Upanishads, the Yoga-Vasi shtha, the Gi ta, the Vive kachudamani , the Avadhuta-Gita along with meditation. Such study is elevating. Six hours' study and six hours' meditation is very beneficia l . That is Sri Aurobindo's method. That is his brother Sri Barinder 's method. That is Swami Advaitanandaj i 's method. That is my method also. This will eventual ly push you on to Nididhyasana for twenty-four hours .
Three Instrumental Causes Some say that meditation,-series of thoughts on the same object cal led Prasamkhyana,-is the required instrumental cause. I t corresponds to Nididhyasana which consists in the unbroken flow of ideas with respect to Brahman. Vedic text declares that a man sees Brahman by the unceasing flow of thoughts, i .e . , meditation. Badarayana has proved in the Brahma-Sutras that med itation is the i nstru ment by which the conditioned Brahman is realised. The rule holds good in the reali sation of the
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unconditioned Brahman . Meditation of Brahman i s based upon Vedantic texts which are admitted to be the means of right knowledge--either carefu l l y comprehended or casual l y perused, and consequentl y the k nowledge of Brahman which fol lows from it is the resu l t of the operation of the means of right knowledge. Meditation is based upon the thorough comprehension of the Vedmitic texts. Others maintain that meditation by itself is not the i nstrumental cause, for it bei ng a perpetual stream of ideas flowing from m i nd is unable to grasp the thi ng when cut off from i ts source. Mere mind, too, is not the i nstrument, for without the streams of ideas it is incompetent to environ the object of knowledge. Thus mind, accompanied by an unceasing flow of ideas of Brahman, is the required i nstrumental cause. A Vedic text also corroborates thi s theory : "This mi nute Self is to be known by means of mind which is made sharp by meditation." A third view is that the great sentence: " Tat Tvam Asi-Thou art That" is the instrumental cause. Fixity of mind is undoubtedly required for the realisation of Brahman. But thi s requirement does not prove the sole i nstrumentali ty of mind, for however fixed the mind may be, Brahman wi l l not be revealed unless the mind i s directed i n the path described b y the Vedantic sentence. The direct instrument is therefore that great sentence to which substantial service is rendered by m i nd and meditation. Thus there is a kind of unity in difference of opinions, i .e., a.Jl are at one that the great Vedantic text, mind and meditation help one another in the real isation of Brahman. -Siddhanta Lesha
Meditation and Action Man consists of Atman, mind and body. The Atman has two aspects-changeless and changing. The latter is called the world and the former God. World also is nothing but God i n manifestation. God i n movement is the world. Not that it does not exist. It has a relati ve ex istence. The Atman is a l l-pervading, all-bli ssfu l , a l l-powerfu l , all knowledge, eternally perfect and pure. It assumes these names and forms cal led the world (Nama-Rupa-Jagat) of its own free-will. There is no desire, because there is no outside object. This w i l l is called S akti . I t i s the Atman i n action. I n Nirguna Atman, the S akti is static . In Saguna Atman, it is dynamic. The Atman has no desire, because It is perfect, and because there is nothing which i s objecti ve t o the Atman . Desire implies attraction which ·
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presupposes imperfection. It is the very negation of will which i s deci sion for action from within. The Atman w i l l s and the uni verse comes into being. The will of the Atman upholds and governs the uni verse. Human beings are driven hither and thither by egoism, desires and fears due to identification with the l i miting adj u ncts of mind and body. This i dea of l i mitation is called egoism. The realisation of oneness i n 'cfl l existences, manifested and unmanifested, is the goal of human life. This unity already exists. We have forgotten it through i gnorance. The removal of this veil of ignorance-the idea that we are confi ned within the mind and the body-is our chief effort in Sadhana. It logicall y follows that to real ise unity, we must give up diversity. We must constantly keep up the idea that we are all-pervading, all-powerfu l , etc. There is no room here for desire because in unity there is no emotional attraction, but steady, persistent, calm, eternal bliss. Desire . for liberation is termi nological inexactitude. Liberation means attai nment of the state of i nfinity. It already exists. It is our real nature. There can be no desire for a thing which is your very nature. All desires for progeny and wealth, for happiness in this worlq or i n the next and lastly e ven the desire for liberation should be completely anni hilated and all actions guided by pure and disinterested wi l l . This Sadhana,-the constant attempt t o feel that you are the Al l-can be practised or rather ought to be practised in the midst of intense acti vity. That is the central teaching of the Gita. It stands to reason also, because God is both S aguna and Nirguna, with form and without form. Let the mind and the body work·. Feel that you are above them, their controlling witness. Do not identify yoursel f with the Adhara or the support (for m i nd and body), even when it is employed in activity. Of course meditation in the beginning has to be resorted to. Only an exceptionally strong-wi lled man can dispense with. i ts necessity. For ordinary hu man bei ngs, it is an indispensable necessity. I n meditation, the Adhara is steady. So the Sadhana, the effort to feel unity i s comparatively easy. In the midst o f activity, this effort i s difficult. Karma Yoga is more difficult than pure Jnana Yoga. We must, however, keep up the practice at al l times. That is absolutely essential as otherwise the progress is slow; because, a few hours' meditation on the idea of the A l l and identification with m i nd and body for a greater portion of the day do not bri ng about rapi d or substantial advance.
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It is much better to associ ate some word-symbol, OM, with the
idea. From time immemori al, this symbol has been used for ex pressing the i dea of uni ty. So the best method is to repeat this word OM and meditate on i ts meaning at all times. B ut we must set apart some hours for meditation morni ng and eveni ng. The Atman is eternal ly free. The mind and body are in bondage. As long as we are guided by mental attractions and repulsions, we are the s laves of fate or divine w i l l . B ut, when we completely free ourselves from their clutches and realise our oneness with the Atman , we are free . In Self-knowledge, our will and the divine will become one. Until then, we are certainly bound by fate. But i n proportion as we rise above the mind and body, our will becomes stronger and free and mani fests greater and greater divinity.
Elementals (BHUTA KOTI-BHUTA GANAS) Sometimes, these elementals appear during meditation. They are strange figures, some with long teeth, some with big faces, some with big bel l ies, some with faces on the belly, some with faces on the head. They are i nhabitants of the B hu-Loka. They are B hutas. They are supposed to be the attendants of Lord Siva. They have terrifying forms. They do not cause any harm at all. They simply appear on the stage. They come to test your strength and courage. They can do nothing. They cannot stand before a pure and ethical aspirant. Repetition of OM w i l l throw them at a distance. You must be fearless . A coward is absolutely unfit for the spiritual l ine. Develop courage by constantly feeling that you are the Atman. Deny and negate the body-idea. Practise Nididhyasana al ways, all through the day and ni ght. That is the secret. That is the key. That is the master-key to open the treasury of Sat-Chit-Ananda. That i s the cornerstone o f the edifice o f bliss. That i s the pil lar of the mansion of Ananda.
Real Rest in Meditation Fatigue of the Indriyas demands rest. Hence sleep supervenes at night rhythmical ly. Motion and rest are rhythmical processes in l i fe . The m i nd moves about in the avenues of the senses through the force of Vasana. Strictly speaking, Dridha S ushupti is very, very rare. There is subtle working of the mind i n sleep also. Hence, you do not get good rest in sleep. Real rest is secured i n medi tation and meditation only. It is only Dhyana-Yogins who
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practise meditation that can feel real rest i n Asana. The m i nd i s fully concentrated during meditation. I t is far away from objects and very near the Atman . There are no Raga-Dvesha currents duri ng meditation owing to the absence of objects. Consequently, there is manifestation of sol i d, lasting, real spiritual A nanda with complete, genuine rest. You must practise meditation. You m ust feel it yourself. Then, you w i l l agree with me. In Varanasi , there was a Hatha Yogi who had the power of levitation. He never used to sleep at nights. He used to sit on the Asana duri ng the whole night. He got the real rest from meditation. He had dispensed with sleep. You may not enjoy the rest ful ly i n the beginning of your practice. Because at the outset, there is a good deal of wrestl i ng between the w i l l and Svabhava, the old Samskaras and the new Samskaras, the old habits and the new habits, Purushartha and the old conduct. The m ind revolts. When the mind is thi nned out, when you have reached the Tanumanasi stage, third Jnana Bhuniika, you will enjoy l i ke anything. You wi l l find 1 0,000 Bengali Rasagul las in the supreme rest in meditation. You can then cut short your sleep to three or four hours gradually.
Remembrance in Meditation When a person contemplates the form of Vishnu, the contempl ating soul ( i .e., the ego, or practical Jiva) is fully engrossed in the meditation unaware of his i ndividuality. Then naturally a question arises: "What principle was waking at the time of medi tation which afterwards produced remembrance in the ego that he was engaged in contemplation?" The plai n answer i s that i t was the noumenal Self known as Sakshi (witness). It may be objected here that the i l l um i nation of the ideas of Vishnu and of their fabricated, the contemplating soul , by Sakshi, cannot account for the remembrance of the meditation by Jiva. At the most it can j ustify remembrance i n Sakshi who formerly observed that occurrence. This objection may be answered on the ground that there is mutual false attribution of i dentity, Paraspara Adhyasa. The Kutastha which is i nexplicably mi ngled with Jiva, although different from him, is the i nner Soul, as it were of Jiva. Consequently, the experience by Kutastha may lead to the remembrance by Jiva who is thought to be one with the former.
Hints on Meditation Retire to a quiet place or room from where you do not fear interruption, so that your m i nd may feel quite secure and at rest. The ideal condition cannot always be obtained, in w h ich case, you
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shou ld do the best you can . You should be alone yourself in communion with God or Brahman. " Keepi ng the u pper parts (the chest, neck and the head) erect and equal to the (other parts of the) body, subduing withi n the heart the senses together with the mind, let the wise by the raft of Brahman (OM) cross over all the fearful torrents of the world. "Keeping down the senses and Pranas, subduing his desires, and gently respiring by the nostri ls, let the wise di l igently attend to the mi nd, as the charioteer to a car, drawn by vicious horses. "When in the Yogin's body, composed of earth, water, light, ai r and ether, the fivefold qualities which mark concentration as described below, are manifest, then there is no disease or age or pai n for him who has obtained the body burning with the fire of concentration. ''When the body is l i ght and without disease, when the mind is wi thout desire, when the colour is shining, the voice sweet and the smel l pleasant, and when the excrements are few, they say, the first degree of concentration is gained." Never wrestle with the mind. Do not use any violent efforts in concentration. Relax all muscles and nerves. Relax the brai n. Gently think of your Ishta Devata. S lowly repeat your Guru-Mantra with B hava and meaning. Still the b4bbling mind. S i lence the thoughts. Make no violent efforts to control the mind but rather allow it to run a long for a while and exhaust i ts efforts. It will take advantage of the opportunity and will j ump around l i ke an unchained monkey at fi rst. until it gradually slows down and looks to you for orders. I t may take some time to tame it down at first, but, each time you try, it will come around you in a shorter time. Have a background of thought, either a concrete background of your J shta M urti along with the Mantra or an abstract background of the idea of infi nity with OM if you are a student of Jnana-Yoga. This will destroy al l worldly thoughts and take you to the goal . Through force of habit the mind will at once take shelter in this background the moment you release it from worldly activities. Agai n and again withdraw the m i nd from the worldly objects when it runs away from the Lakshya and fix it there. Thi s sort of combat will go on for some months. If evil thoughts enter the mind do not use your will-force in driving them. You will lose your energy only. You wi l l tax your
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w i l l on ly. You wi ll fatigue yourself. The greater the efforts you make, the more the evil thoughts wil l return with redoubled force. They wi l l return more quickly also. The thoughts wi l l become more powerfu l . Be i ndifferent. Keep quiet. They w i l l pass off soon. Or substitute good counter-thoughts, through Pratipaksha Bhavana method. Or think of the picture of God and the Mantra agai n and agai n forcibly and pray. Dash cold water on the face to drive off drowsiness. S tand up for 1 5 minutes. Tie the tuft of hair on the head with a piece of string to a nail above. As soon as you begi n to doze, the str:ing wi l l pull you u p and w i l l wake you up. I t serves the part of your mother. Or lean upon an improvised swing for I 0 minutes and move yourself to and fro. Do 1 0 or 20 mild Pranayamas. Do Sirshasana or Mayurasana. Take only m i l k and frui ts at night. By these methods you can combat against sleep. Strol l about for 1 0 mi nutes. Keep the light burning before your face if sleep comes. Be careful in the selection of your companions. Give up talkies. Tal k l ittle. Observe Mauna for two hours dail y. Do not mix with undesirable persons. Have Satsanga. Read good, i nspiring rel igious books. This is negative good company, i f you do not get positive good company. These are al l auxil i aries i n meditation. When desires arise in the mind do not try to fulfi l them. Reject them as soon as they arise. Thus by gradual practice the desires can be reduced. The modifications of mi nd w i l l also diminish a lot, because when the fuel of desire is exhausted, the fi re of thought also w i l l slowl y get extinguished. Do not shake the body unnecessarily. By shaki ng the body very often, the mind also is disturbed. Do not scratch the body also every now and then. Asana should become as firm as a rock. Breathe slowly. Do not change the seat very often . Sit i n the same place at the same time every day in the begi nning period of your Sadhana. Have the right kind of mental attitude as taught by your Guru. Every idea which exclusively occupies the m i nd i s transferred into an actual physical or mental state. If you fi l l up your mi nd with the idea of God and God alone you w i l l enter i nto Nirvikalpa Samadhi state quickly. S aturate the mind with thoughts of God. A piece of iron rema ins red-hot as long as it is kept in the fire. When it is taken out, it becomes cold and loses i ts red colour. If you want t0 keep it al ways red-hot you must always keep it in the fire. Even so, if you want to taste the divine consciousness always,
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you must keep the mind al ways in contact with Brahman. You must dissolve and melt it i n Brahman . Just as you saturate the salt or sugar with the water, you will have to saturate the mind with thoughts of God, with di vine glory, divine presence, and with subl i me sou l-awakening spiritual thoughts. Only then w i l l you be established in the divine consc ious ness always. Before saturati ng the mind with thoughts of Brahman, you wil l have to ass i m i l ate the divine ideas first. Assimilation first and then saturation. Theri comes realisation at once without a moment's delay. Remember this 'Triplet' always: Assimil ation, Saturation, Real isation. · There is al ways a complaint amongst aspirants : "I am medi tati ng for the last twelve years. I have not made any im provement. I have no real isation." Why is it so? What is the reason? They have not plunged themselves in deep meditation into the innermost recesses of the heart. They have not properly assimil ated and saturated the mind with thoughts of God. They have not done regular systematic Sadhana. They have not disciplined the Indriyas perfectly. They have not collected all the outgoi ng rays of the mind. They have not made the self-determi nation: "I w i l l realise this very second." They have not gi ven the ful l l 00% of the m i nd to God. They have not kept up an unceasing flow of divine consciousness, Tailadharavat, like the flow of o i l . J ust a s the m a n , who foolishly runs after two rabbits, wil l not catch hold of any one of them, so also a meditator who runs after two conflicting thoughts w i l l not get success in any one of the two thoughts. If he has divine thoughts for ten minutes and then worldly confl icting thoughts for the next ten minutes, he wi l l not succeed in getting at the divine consciousness. You must run after one rabbit only with vigour, strength and one-pointed mind. You are sure to catch it. You must have only divine thoughts at all ti mes. Then you are sure to realise God soon. No more words. Enough of discussions and heated debates. Retire i nto a sol itary room . Close your eyes. Have deep si lent medi tation. Feel His presence. Repeat His name, OM, with fervour, joy and love. Fi l l your heart with Prema. Destroy the Sankalpas, thoughts, whims, fancies and desires when they come up to the surface of the mind. Withdraw the wandering mind and fi x it on the Lord. Now meditation wi l l become deep and i ntense.
MEDITATION Do not open your eyes. Do not stir from the seat. Merge in H i m . Dive deep into the recesses o f the heart. Plunge i nto the shining Atman. Drink the nectar of i mmortality. Enjoy the si lence now. I shall leave you alone there. Nectar's son, rej oi ce. Rejoice i n Supreme Silence.
Instructions on Meditation Meditation is the keeping up of one idea of God only always like the continuous fl ow of oil . Yogins cal l this as "Dhyana." Jnani ns term thi s as "Nididhyasana." Bhaktas style this as "Bhajana." Put a piece of iron-rod in the blazing furnace. It becomes red like fire. Remove it. It loses its red colour. If you want to keep it always red, you must always keep it i n fire . So also, if you want to keep the mind charged with the fire of B rahmic wisdom, you m ust keep it al ways in contact or touch with the B rahmic fire of knowledge through constant and i ntense meditation. You m ust keep up an unceasing flow of the B rahmic consciousness. Then you will have the Sahaja Avastha (natural state). If you can meditate for half an hour, you will be able to engage yourself with peace and spiritual strength i n the battle of life for one week through the force of this meditatio n . Such is the beneficial result of meditation. As you have to move with different minds of pecul iar nature in your daily l i fe, get the strength and · peace from meditation. Then you w i l l have no trouble and worry. Asana steadies the body. Bandhas and M udras m ake the body firm. Pranayama makes the body l ight. Nadi-Suddhi effects Samya-Avastha of the mind. Having acquired these qualifications you wil l have to fix the mind on B rahman. Qnly then w i l l meditation g o o n steadily with happiness. The banks of the Ganga or Narmada, Himalayan scenery, lovely flower garden, sacred temples-these are the places which elevate the mind i n concentration and meditation. Have recourse to them. A soli tary place where the climate is cool with spiritual vibratory conditions is best suited for concentration of mind. When you are a neophyte in meditation, start repeating some sublime S lokas or Stotras (hy mns) for ten minutes as soon as you sit for meditatio n . This wil l elevate the mind. The mind can be easi ly withdrawn from the worldly objects. Then stop this kind of thinking also and fix the m i nd on one idea only by repeated and strenuous efforts . Then Nishtha will ensue.
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You m ust have a mental i mage of God or Brahman (concrete or abstract) before you begin to meditate. When you see the concrete figure of Lord Kri shna w ith open eyes and meditate, it is the concrete form of meditation. When you reflect over the image of Lord Krishna by closing your eyes, it is also concrete form of meditation but it is more abstract. When you meditate on the infinite abstract light it is sti l l more abstract meditation. The former two types belong to S aguna form of meditation and the latter to Nirguna form. Even i n Nirguna meditation there is an abstract form in the beginning for fi x i ng the mi nd. Later on this form vanishes and the meditator and the meditated beco{11e one. Meditation proceeds from the mind. It is the actions of the mind that are truly termed Karmas. True li beration results from the disenthralment of the m i nd. Those who have freed themselves from the fluctuations of their minds come into possession of the supreme Nishtha. Should the mind be purged of all i ts i mpuri ties, it w i l l become very calm and al l the Samsaric de l usion w i l l be soon destroyed. Concentration of the mind on God after purification can give you real happi ness and knowledge. You are born for this purpose only. You are carried away to external objects through Raga and Moha. Concentrate upon God in the heart. Dive deep. Merge within. When you start a fire you heap up some straw, pieces of paper and thi n pieces of wood. The fire gets extinguished quickly. You blow it agai n several ti mes through the mouth or the blow-pipe. After some time it becomes a small conflagration. You can hardly exti nguish it now even with great efforts. Even so, in the beginning of meditation the beginners fal l down from meditation into the ir old grooves. They w i l l have to lift up their minds again and again and fix it on the Lakshya. When the meditation becomes deep and steady they get establi shed in God eventually. Then the meditation becomes Sahaja. It becomes habitual. Use the blow-pipe of Tivra Vairagya and i ntense .concentration to kindle the fire of meditation. Duri ng meditation, w hen your mind is more Sattvic, you will be inspired. The mind w i l l be composing fine poems and sol ving i ntricate problems of life. Stamp out these Sattvic Vrittis also. This is al l dissipation of mental energy. Soar higher and higher to Atman only. If the mind constantly dwell s on sensual objects, the conception
MEDITATION of the reality of the u ni verse wil l surely i ncrease. If the m i nd ceaselessly thinks of the Atmail, the world appears l i ke a dream. Free yourself from the base thoughts of the mind and the various useless Sankalpas (imaginations ). Make ceaseless enquiry of the Atman. Mark the word "ceaseless." This is important. Then only there will be the dawn of spiritual knowledge. You w i l l get the ful l A nanda of the divine glory only when you dive deep and merge i nto silent meditation . When you are on the borderland of divinity of God, when you are at the gate or threshold of God, and when you are on -the outer skirts, you wil l not get the maxi mum peace and bliss. During meditation note how long you can shut out all worldly thoughts. Watch the mind very carefu l l y. )f it is for twenty mi nutes, try to i ncrease the period for thirty or forty mi nutes and so on. Fi ll the mind with the thoughts of God again and again. You will have to note very carefully whether you remain stationary i n the spiritual path even after many years of spiri tual practice or whether you are progressi ng. Sometimes you may go downwards also if you are not very · vigilant a.nd careful , if your Vairagya wanes and if you are slack in meditation. Reaction may set in. Some practise meditation for a period of fifteen years and yet they have not made any real progress at all. Why? This is due to lack of earnestness, Vai ragya, keen longing for l iberation and intense Sadhana. When you advance in the spiri tual practice it w i l l be very difficult for you to do meditation and office-work at the same time daily. Because the mind w i l l undergo double strain. I t finds i t very difficult to adj ust to different kinds of uncongenial activities. It behoves, therefore, that advanced Grihastha Yogic students wi ll have to stop .all the worldly acti vities when they advance i n meditation i f they desire to progress further. They themselves wi ll be forced to give up work if they are· really si ncere. Work is a hi ndrance i n meditation for advanced students. In Vedanta or the path of Jnana, the terms "Manana" (reflection) and ''Nididhyasana" are very frequently used. Manana is Vijatiya-Vritti-Tiraskara (driving away all the thoughts of worldly objects), and Sajatiya-Vritti-Pravaha (increasing the thought currents of God or Brahman l i ke a steady stream). Nididhyasana is deep and intense contemplation . It is Anatma-Vritti-Rahita or Atmakara-Vritti -Sthiti. The mi nd i s perfectly established i n the
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Absol ute. No worldly thought w i l l i ntrude now. The contemplation is like a steady flow of oil (Tailadharavat). Train the mind i n a variety of ways in concentration i n the begi nni ng. Concentrate on any concrete image. Concentrate on the blue sky. Concentrate on the all-pervading light of the sun. Concentrate on the breath with Soham repetition. Concentrate on the various Chakras of the body. Concentrate on the abstract ideas of Satyam, Jnanam, A nantam, Ekam, Nityam, etc. Lastly stick to one thi ng only. In meditation do not strain the eyes. Do not strain the brain . Do not struggle or wrestle with the m ind. Relax. Gently allow the divine thoughts to flow. Steadi ly think of the Lakshya, object of medi tati on. Do not vol untari ly drive away intruding thoughts. Have sublime Sattvic thoughts. Vicious thoughts will themselves van ish away. When the mi nd becomes steady in meditation the eyeballs also become steady. A Yogi whose m i nd is calm will have a steady eye. There w i l l be no winki ng at al l . The eyes will be red or pure white. I n the beginning when you are a neophyte, you can close your eyes to remove the distraction of mind, as you are very weak. But later on you must meditate with eyes open, even during walking. You must keep your balance of m i nd even when you are in the bustle of the city. Only then are you perfect. Think strongly that the world is unreal, that there is no world, and that there is Atman only. If you can meditate on the Atman even when the eyes are open you will be a strong man. You wil l not be easily disturbed. A l l the visibl e things are Maya. Maya wi l l vanish through Jnana, or meditation on the A tman. One shoul d exert himself to get rid of Maya. Maya havocs through the mi nd. Destruction of the m i nd means the anni hilation of the Maya. Meditation is the only way for conquering Maya. All actions whether internal or external, can be done only when the mind is united with the organs. Thought is the real action. If you have control over the m i nd by steady practice and if you can regul ate your emotions and moods, you will not do foolish and wrong actions. Meditation will help a lot in checking various emotions and impulses. Leading a virtuous life is not by itself sufficient for God-realisation. Constant meditation i s absolutely necessary. A
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good and virtuous life only prepares the m i nd . as a fit i nstrument for concentration and meditation. It is concentration and meditation that eventually lead to Self-reali sation. During meditation some of the visions that you see are your own materiali sed thoughts, while some others are real objective visions. Real peace and happiness manifest only when the Vasanas are thinned out and Sankalpas extinguished. When you fix the m i nd either on Sri Kri shna, S i va or the Atman even for fi ve m i n utes, Sattva Guna is i nfused i nto the mind. Vasanas are thin ned out. You w i l l feel peace and bliss during these five m i n utes. You can w i th the subtle B uddhi compare this Ananda from meditation with the transitory sensual pleasure. You w i l l fi nd that thi s Ananda from meditation is million times superior to sensual p leasure. Meditate and feel this Ananda. Then you wi l l k now the real value. Concentrate and meditate on the expansive sky. This is also another kind of Nirguna, N irakara meditation. B y this method of meditation, · the m i nd will stop thin king of fi nite forms. I t w i l l slowly begin to melt i n the ocean o f peace, a s i t is deprived o f its contents, viz., the forms of various sorts. It will become subtler and subtler. Some students l i ke to concentrate with open eyes, while some others with tlosed eyes, while some others w i th half-opened eyes. If you meditate with closed eyes, dust or foreign particles w i l l not fall in your eyes . Some students in w hom l i ghts and jerks trouble, prefer concentration w i th open eyes. In some who meditate w i th closed eyes, sleep overpowers them within a short time. If the eyes are open, the mind wanders to objects in the beginners. Use y our commonsense and adopt that which suits you best. Overcome other obstacles by suitable, intelligent methods. You must be regular in your practice of meditation. Regularity in meditation is a great desideratum. Rapid progress and great success can b attained if regularity is observed by the practitioner. Even if you do not realise any tangible resu l t i n the practice, you must plod on in the practice w ith sincerity, earnestness, patience and perseverance. You w i l l get success after some time. There i s n o doubt of this. D o not stop the practice even for a day, u nder any circumstance. · If the aspirant has the nature of bei ng offended easi l y for trifl i ng thi ngs, he cannot make any progress i n meditation. He should c ultivate ._amiable, loving nature and adaptabili ty. Then this bad ·
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habit wi l l vanish. Some aspirants get easily offended if their bad qualities and defects are pointed out. They become i ndignant and begin to fight with the man who shows the defects. They think that that man is concoeting them out of jealousy or hatred. This is bad. Other people can very easi ly find out our defects. A man who has no life of introspection, whose m i nd is of outgoing tendencies, cannot find out his own mistakes. The self-conceit acts as a vei l and f)J urs the mental vision. If an aspirant wants t o grow, h e m ust admit his defects if they are pointed out by others. He m ust try his level best to eradicate them and must thank the man who points out his defects. Only then can he grow in spirituality. I f an aspirant i n Kashmir meditates upon his Guru or spiritual
gu ide. at Uttarakasi, Himalayas, a defi nite connection is established between him and the teacher. The Guru radiates power, peace, joy and b l i ss to the student i n response to his thoughts. He is bathed i n the powerful current o f magnetism. The stream o f spiritual · electricity tlows steadi ly from the preceptor to his disciple, j ust as oil flows from one vesse� to another. The student can draw grace from his teacher in proportion to the degree· of his faith. Whenever the student sincerely meditates upon his teacher, the teacher also actually feels that a current of prayer or subli me thoughts proceeds from his student and touches his heart. I:Ie who has the inner astral sight can clearly visualise a thi n l i ne of bright light between the disciple and the teacher, which is caused -by the movement of the vi bration of S attvic thoughts in the oc�an of Chitta. General l y when you have dreamless or deep, sound sleep it is ei ther you do not remember w hat you dreamt of or you fel l i nto ·absol ute unconsciousness which is almost death-a taste of death. But there i� the possibility of a sleep in which you enter i nto an absol ute silence, i mmortal i ty and peace i n all parts of your being and your consciousness merges i nto Sat-Chit-Ananda. You can hardly cal l it sleep, for there is perfect awareness. In that condition you can remain for a few mi nutes. It w i l l give you more rest and refreshment than hours of ordi nary sleep. You cannot have it by chance. It requires a long training. When your meditation becomes deep, you general ly operate through the subtle Karana Sarira (causal body) only. The Karana Sarira consciousness becomes your normal consciousness. Yogins have a normal Karana S arira consciousness. Bhaktas l ike Lord Gauranga, Tuka Ram, Tulasidas identified themselves with their Karana Sari ra and had normal Karana Sarira consciousness. A
MEDITATION B hakta too becomes one with Brahman. He has divine Aisvarya; yet he has a thin ethereal body. He keeps up his i ndividuality. A whirlpool is one with the whole mass of the water. I t has a separate existence also. S imilar is the case w ith the Bhakta .w ho has a l ife with his Karana Sarira. A sudden stroke of mystic i l l um i nation puts an end to all the empirical existence altogether and the very i dea or remembrance of such a thi ng as this world or the narrow i ndividuality of the spirit in this world absolutely leaves. When the Yogi has reached the last perfect stage of meditation and Samadhi all the residual actions are burnt completely. He gets l i beration in this very life. Then he is a Jivanmukta. ·
Practical Instructions I . If evil thoughts return back, do not make violent__efforts to
drive them off. Allow the waves pass off quietly. Never al low sentiments to overcome you in any way. Wisely utilise every . condition for the uplifting of the soul and Chitta-Suddh i . 2. D o not think any more o f your worldly concerns than i s necessary t o determine your duty. Do your duty and leave the rest to God.
3. When you are tired by too much meditation, suspend the
meditation for some time. Gently fi x your mind on all that is holy and subli me, on the l ofty acts of saints and sages. You wi l l gradually regain the normal tone o f mind.
4. Unless you are prepared to give up all you have for the service of the Lord and the mankind, you are quite unfit for the spiritual l i ne . B alance of m i nd, S amata state, i s a necessary qualification of an aspirant. Try your level best t o keep cool and calm in difficul ties, adversities and trying conditions of l ife. Pray fervently from the bottom of your heart and wait. Help i s bound to come. God lends his gracious ear. Do not Jose heart, fai th or courage. Have firm, perfect, one-pointed faith i n God. He w i l l give you sufficient strength to bear the pain . He wil l remove a l l obstacles and difficul ties. 5. Develop the power of endurance, Titiksha. Learn to bear happiness and misery evenly and to pass through all phases of life, all experiences, however pai nfu l or joyous, without fl i nching, without l osing the tranqui l lity of the spirit. Give up shoes, . umbrella, walking stick, turban, ghee, B asmati rice. These are a l l your enemies. Slowly give them · up one b y one. This i s the secret
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of Yoga. The cravi ng for all sensual objects will die one by one. You w i l l get i ncre�sing freedom and strong individuality. There is no l oss in giving up sensual objects. You gain a lot. There is pain in the beginning. Get yourself prepared. E verything w i l l be all right. 6. You w i l l see for yourself in a . short time the particular benefits you derive from particular kinds of trials. {>o not give way to the feeling that you are lost or have been deserted, when these waves of dark and depressing thoughts prevail . Know these to be trials given by the Lord for your own teaching, education and learning experience and knowledge for your own growth. 7. C ultivate to an eminent degree the facu l ty of strong patience. You ' must possess s uc h strong patience as that of that sparrow w hich ventured to exhaust the waters of the ocean with a blade of grass. 8. God shows j ustice in p unishing those w ho transgress His Laws. He is thus highly mercifu l . He does not want His children to repeat the mistakes again. Punishment is for correction and education. When the parents chide, the foolish children see in the act an absence of affection; but when they grow up, do they not recognise that, had · it not been for that c hi di ng there woul d have grown :�p in them many a bad habit and vicious tendency and do they not thus trace the c hastisements of their parents to their most disinterested love ar1d kindness and feei grateful in their hearts for what they characterised as merc i l ess and rigorous in their earlier years of ignorance ? 9. You can never, never realise God, if you have not got rid of Kamini-Kanchana (lust and desire for gold), if you are not established in mental Satya, mental Brahinacharya and mental Ahimsa. In mental S atya the very id� of lie does not enter the mind. In mental Brahmacharya the very idea of l ust does not enter the m i nd. Even in dreams, you must be free from l ustful thoughts. It requires long practice and carefu l watch over the mind. Fool ish . people hastily j ump up to the practice of meditation in vain, without having these virtuous q ualities which ar� very essential for spiritual S adhana. Brahman is pure. You can realise It only if you are pure in m i nd and body. You can know Brahman only by becom i ng B rahman. "Brahmavid Brahmaiva Bhavati�He · who knows Brahman becomes Brahman." Practise Yama-Niyama first. You w i l l get everythi ng. , 1 0. Remerpber that the utmost sacrifice i s demanded of you and
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that your own progress should be a matter of secondary importance, while work for others who are your own selves, should be the chief aim of your life. If you look for Siddhis or for any personal rewards, you can better stand aloof. Siddhis are obstacles. They will pull you down. Never care for - them. Shun them ruthlessly even if they show their grimaces. I I . The reason why your trial is more severe than that of others is simply because you have taken a more earnest and determined stand against the Asura Vrittis, evil Vasanas and Samskaras which assert themselves far more forcibly when battle is waged against them than under ordinary circumstances. They are all brought to the surface and laid bare before your eyes, so that you may know them fully at the very threshold of your journey and disarm them one by one as you proceed onward. As to what your particular weakness is at the present moment, the best thing is to allow yoursel f to di scover that for yourself; help will come to you from ins ide; so that you may have no doubts and mistakes about the real enemy and know for certain his nature and strength and the means to disenthrone him from your heart.
1 2. A nouri shment or special power comes from God to those who have a pure and steady love to all humanity, an unfaltering devotion to the laws of compassion and unswerving wish to serve God above and the world below. 1 3. Do not act under the influence of personal impulses. Do not be carried away by the force of emotions, however noble they may be. 1 4. The endurance of all thi s pain and torture with patience, with contentment, without fretting, without complaint, means the exercise of a distinct force which spiritualises the whole nature. The greater this force, the speedier the spiritual growth. The patience and faith should continue undiminished all throughout the practice. The real test of growth is the inner unaffected attitude towards the outer ' surroundings, no matter whatever be · their nature. 1 5 . Remember that the world do� not vanish in Samadhi. The idea that the world is different from Brahman vanishes. A new · a new consciousness,-is idea that the Brahman is the all,generated. The objectivity, Nama-Rupa, remains the same . in Ji vanmukta. A change is effected in subjectivity. The viewpoint changes. The angle of vi sion changes. The watertight compartments that were causing separateness through Adhyasa,
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vanish-. For example, there is a bungalow i n front of your house belonging to a Rajah. You purchase this . bungalow now. At first, belonged to the Rajah. After your view was that the (in the subjective side). The your purchasing it, the view bungalow (Nama-Rupa) remains the same. Now, the view is that i t belongs t o you. The same i s the case with the vision of the Jivanmukta. Do not stretch the · analogy too much . It aptly i l l ustrates our point and purpose.
1 6. A mother knows who the father of her son is. So also, the
Antaryamin , the i nner ruler, knows everything that goes on in your mind. He hears the sound of the fal l of a pin. So do not try to · · cheat H i m . I t is i mpossible. You may tell lies to ninety-nine persons, but you must have one at least to whom you should tell the truth. Develop Arjava (straightforwardness). ·
1 7 . Clarify your ideas again and agai n. Thi n k clearly. Have deep
concentrated right thi nking. Introspect i n soli tude. Purify your thoughts to a considerable degree. Still the thoughts. Silence the bubbl i ng mind. Just as in a surgical cl i ni c the assistant surgeon allows only one patient to enter the consultation room and the operation theatre of a hospital, so also you will have to allow only one thought-wave to rise from the m i nd and settle down calmly. Then allow another thought to enter. Drive off all extraneous thoughts that have nothing to do with the subject-matter on hand. An effi cient control over the thoughts through long practice i s absol utel y necessary for the successful concentration and meditation. Note this point carefu l l y. 1 8 . Develop uni versal sympathy and cosmic love of a pure
nature. Sympathy mitigates your pai n . Love of humanity destroys your l i ttle, personal self. Love of humanity is love of God. Service of humanity is service of God. For there is nothing but God, nothing but Brahman, nothing but your own self. It is i gnorance to think that they are different from you. You and .J, subject and object, are essentially one. Remember this always. Feel this. You will derive a novel, i nfi n i te happi ness. In serving others, you serve your own self. In helping others, you help your own self. In feeding others, you feed your own self. This is a great secret. It takes m i l lions of births to learn and feel this supreme lesson. You forget this fact very often, through the i l lusory force-Maya. A Viveki, Vicharavan constantly remembers it. The greater and purer your Jove, and the more you can feel for others, the higher is your station in the spi ritual regions and the dearer you are to the
MEDITATION S upreme. You are no longer a man. You are of divine nature -Daivi Sampat, Daivi Prakriti . 1 9. Develop cosmic l ove (Visva-Prema) . Identify yourself with the Vi sva-Atman. Destroy selfishness and petty-mindedness . Expand. Awake. Ari se. Throw off your lethargy, i ndifference. Lead the life of oneness and u ni ty. Manifest the h idden powers. Assert. Affirm. Reali se the Self. A glorious future is awaiting you. 20. E ven though you become the Emperor o f the w hole world, you can hardly enj oy real peace and bliss, as l ong as you have care, worry, anxiety, fear, l ust, greed and desire. Causes of grief by thousands, and causes of fear by hundreds, day by day overwhel m the ignorant. Knowledge of the Atman alone can give real peace, happiness and immortality. Therefore conquer Maya. Realise the Atman through meditation. Then you w i l l become the real Emperor of emperors. Part Two
EXERCISES
Meditation on Rose Dharana or_ concentration is fix i ng of the mind on a concrete object or on an abstract i dea. Meditation follows concentration. Meditation is an unbroken, uninterrupted or incessant flow of idea of the object that is being concentrated upon. Concrete meditation on an object is necessary for an untrained mind in the beginning. Sit i n Padma, Siddha or S u kha Asana in a room set apart only for meditation and meditate on the colour, form, the various parts of rose such as petals, stalk, pollen, etc., on the various kinds of roses, as white rose, yellow· rose, red rose, cabbage rose ; o ri the various preparations as rose water, rose syrup, scents as Otto de Rose, essence of rose. confections as Gulkand. etc.; on the di verse uses of rose as rose water for cleaning the eyes i n ophthal mia, Gul kand as a laxative i n constipation, the flowers and garlands for worship of God, for wearing, etc.; On the various virtuous properties such as its cooli ng effecr'on the system, i ts carmi native properties; the price of rose and garlands of roses; the places where they are found in abundance and various other items connected with rose. You must exclude any other foreign thought associated with other objects. By this concrete method the m i nd becomes fi t for abstract meditation. Practise for half an hour dail y i n the morning at 5 o'Clock for a month.
PRACTICE OF YOGA
Meditation on a Buffalo Kri shna Chaitanya, a Brahmachari i n Omkar Ashram, on the bank of the holy Narmada, went to Ram Acharya and prayed to him to teach him the metho
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of the Guru implicitly and began to meditate on the buffal o with one-pointed mind i ntensely. He did not get up from the seat for three days continuously. He forgot all about his food. He was unconscious of his body and surroundi ngs. He was deeply absorbed i n the form of the buffalo. ·Ram Acharya came on the third day to the room of Krishna to see his condition and found Krishna absorbed in medi tation . With a loud voice, Guru cal led out: "0 Krishna, how do you feel? Come outside to take Y,Our food." Krishna replied: "0 Guruji, I am very grateful to you. I am in deep meditation now. I cannot come out now. 1 am very big. Horns have grown out of my head. I cannot get out of the smal l door. I l i ke the buffalo very much. I have become myself a buffalo also." Ram Acharya found out that Krishna's m i nd has attained Ekagrata state and was quite fit for attai ni ng Samadhi. Ram Acharya said: "0 Kri shna, you are not "a buffalo. Now change your meditati on . You are not a buffalo. Forget the form of the buffalo (Nama and Rupa) and meditate on the underlying essence of the buffalo, Sat-Chi t-Ananda, which is your real nature." Krishna Chaitanya changed his method, adhered to Guru's i nstructions and attained Kaivalya M ukti, the goal of life. The above story goes to i l lustrate that meditation on any object which the mind l i kes best is very easy. Patanjali Maharshi suggests various methods for meditation as: "Meditate on the Effulgent One in the .lotus of the heart, who is beyond sorrow. Meditate on the heart that has given up all attachment to sense-objects. Meditate on the knowledge that comes in sleep." And lastly he has introduced the Sutra No. 39: " Yathabhimata-dhyanadva-meditate on anything that appeals to you as good." It will be easy to concentrate on a thing which the mind l i kes best.
Meditation on Mahatma Gandhiji Retire to your meditation room. Sit in Padmasana. Meditate on the form, stature, height and colour of Gandhij i ; his educational career in England; his legal practice in Africa; his pol itical activities to raise the condition of Indians in Africa; his energetic activities in non-cooperative movement in India; his famous Charkha and Khaddar; his wide-spread preaching throughout I ndia for popularising Khaddar; his strenuous efforts to unite the Hindus and Musl i ms; his exertions to uplift the degraded position of
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Harijans, (the untouchables); his noble ideals and laudable prinCiples; his life of absolute renunciation, Tyaga and Sannyasa; his life of severe Tapascharya; his abstemious nature in diet; his incessant struggle i n the achievement of mental Brahmacharya; his ideals of Ahimsa and S atya in thought, word and deed; his facile pen i_n journalism ; his various useful pubJications in English, Hindi and Gujarati ; his establishment of a useful Ashram which trains good Karma Yogins; his strong will and various other noble qualities. Do not allow any other thought to enter. If the mind runs, draw it and fix on the above thoughts. Practise this for half an hour daily for two months. You will learn the right technique of medi tation.
·Meditation on Virat-Purusha
Sit in Padma or S iddha Asana in your meditation room and meditate on the foll owing thoughts for half an hour daily. This is a gross form of meditation for beginners for six months. 1 . Heaven is His head.
Earth is His foot. Quarters are His hands . Sun and Moon are His eyes. Fire is His mouth. Dharma is His back. Grass and herbs are His hairs. Mountains are His bones. 9. Sea is His bladder. 1 0. Rivers are His· arteries and veins.
2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
The mind will expand now. Afterwards take to Saguna meditation on a form of God such as Rama, Kri shna or S iva. Have this kind of meditation for a year. Then have recourse to Nirguna meditation on Brahman. By the practice of these various methods, the mind becomes a fit i nstrument to take up abstract meditatiun�meditation on an abstract idea.
Meditation on Divine Songs If you are ·wel l-versed in music, go to a lonely place, sing beautifully �o your heart's content, develop the Raga and agini luxuriantly from the . bottom of your heart. Forget yourself, forget the past and environments. This is an easy method. Select some fine Stotras, prayers pr philosophical portions: Tukaram's Abhangas, Akhow 's songs i n Guj arati, Tayumana Swami's Songs and Thevaiam in Tamil; Brahmanandamala in Hindi · are admirably
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suitable for this purpose. Ram Prasad, a reputed saint of Bengal, real i sed in this way. Ram Prasad's songs are very famous throughout Bengal. Ravana pleased Lord S i va through his Sarna Gana played with nerve-strings removed out of his body. Hear what Shakespeare says on music: "The man that hath no music i n him nor i s not moved with concord o f sweet sounds, i s fi t for treason, stratagem and spoil s . The motions of his spirit are dull as night, his affections dark as Erebus. Let no such man be trusted." Mark the music. You can q uite easil y withdraw the mind from the objects through singing. S inging i mmediately e levates and expands the mind. To fix an expanded mind on the S aguna or Nirguna Brahman is very easy. What is wanted here is good taste and skil l in musi� with purity of heart and steady practice of concentration.
Meditation on the Gita Slokas Learn by heart some important S lokas in the B hagavad-Gita. Repeat ' them mental ly after sitting in the Asana. ( 1 ) There · are some i mportant S lokas which dwell on the ' immortality of the sou l ' in the second chapter. You can concentrate and me�iitate on these series of ideas. You w i l l find this practice very, very useful. (2) Meditate on the series of ideas from the S l okas which describe the Sthitapraj na state in the second chapter. (3) Meditate on the series of ideas from the S lokas which describe the effects of Yoga in the sixth chapter. (4) Meditate on the series of i deas from the S lokas which describe the Samata state of mind in the sixth chapter. (5) Meditate on the series of ideas from the Slokas which deal with the attributes of a Jnani in the thirteenth chapter. (6) Meditate on the series of ideas from the Slokas wbich describe the nature of Daivi-Sampat in the sixteenth chapter. (7) Meditate on Visvarupa-Darsana ideas in the e leventh chapter. (8) Meditate on the . S lokas : "devotee dear to Me" in the twelfth chapter. (9) Meditate on "Gunatita" i deas in the fourteenth chapter. I have given 'you a few sets of ideas. Select any set that appeals to you most. You can al low the mind to move from one set to another.
Meditation on Gayatri Gayatri is the 'Blessed Mother' of the Vedas. It is a symbol ' of God, the Lord of created bei ngs. Japa of Gayatri Mantra produces Chitta-Suddhi, without which you can do nothing in the spiritual l ine. You can never effect an iota of spiri tu a l progress. Gayatri is an effective u n iversal prayer. This is also known as Brahma-Gayatri.
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Om Bhur Bhuvah Svah Tat Savitur Varenyam Bhargo Devasya Dhimah.i Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat.
Om-Para Brahman Bhu r-Physical plane Bhu va h A ntariksha Svah-S varga-Loka Tctt-Brahman, Paramatman Savitur-Isvara, Creator Varenyam-Fi t to be worshipped Bha rgo remover of si ns, ignorance, etc. De va sya-glory Dhimahi-we meditate Dhiyo-i ntel lect (Buddhi) YlJ-which \ Na h. o ur Pra ch odaya t-e nlighten. -
-
-
"Let us meditate on Isvara and His Glory, who has created thi s
universe, who is fit to be worshipped, who is the remover of all sins and ignorance. M ay He enlighten our B uddhi."
Retire into the meditation room after bath j ust before sunrise . S i t i n your Asana and repeat the Mantra mentally a s many times as you can, but not less than 1 08 ti mes and constantly feel that you are receiving l i ght, purity and wisdom from Gayatri . Concentrate on the meaning of the Gayatri . This is important. Have your gaze at the Trikuti, the space between the two eyebrows.
GAYATRI PU RASCHARANA This Gayatri Mantra has twenty-four Sanskrit letters. So, one Gayatri Purascharana constitutes the Japa of 24 l akhs of times of Gayatri Mantra. There are various rules for Purascharana. If you repeat 3000 ti mes daily, you should keep up the same number dai ly all throughout ti ll you finish the ful l 24 l akhs. Cleanse the mi rror of Manas of its dirt and prepare the ground for the sowi ng of the spiritual seed. The Maharashtrians are very fond of Gayatri Purascharana. In Poona and other places, there are persons who have performed Purascharana several times. Pundit Madan Mohan Malaviyaji is a votary of Gayatri Purascharana. The success in his life and i n the establi shment of the grand H i ndu University at Varanasi i s all
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attributable to His Gayatri Japa and the benign grace of the Blessed Mother Gayatri . Swami Vidyaranya, the reputed author of the celebrated Panchadasi, performed Gayatri Purascharana. Mother Gayatri gave him Darshan and asked Vidyaranya for a boon. Swami Vidyaranya asked: "0 Mother ! There is a great famine in Dec�an. Let there be a shower of gold to relieve the i m mense distress of the people." Accordi ngly, there was a shower of gold. S uch is the power of Gayatri Mantra. Gayatri Japa cleanses the Pranamaya Kosha, purifies the m i nd, gi ves Ekagrata state, bestows Ishta Siddhis and makes a man powerful and highly i ntel ligent. Gayatri eventually gives l iberation or e manci pation from the wheel of birth and death . .
G LORY OF GAYATRI "Brahman m i l ked out, as it were, from the three Vedas, the letters A, U and M, which form by their coali tion the triliteral monosyllable, together with three mysterious words; B hur (earth), Bhuvah (sky) and S vah (heaven). "From the three Vedas, also, the Lord of creatures incomprehensi vely exalted, successively milked out the three measures of that ineffable text, beginning with the word Tat, anc;t entitled Savitri or Gayatri . "The three great i m mutable words, preceded by the tri l iteral monosyllable and followed by Gayatri which consists of three · measures , must be considered as the mouth or the principal part of the Vedas. "Whoever shall repeat day by day for three years without negligence that sacred text, shall hiJreafter approach the divine essence, move as freely as air and assume an ethereal form. "The tri l iteral monosyllable is an emblem of the S upreme; the suppressions of breath with a m i nd fixed on God are the highest devotion; but nothing is more exalted than the Gayatri : a declaration of truth is more exce l lent than silence." -Manu Smriti, 11-76 to 83.
Meditation on Mahavakyas Mahavakyas are the sacred sentences of the Srutis. They are four in number:1 . Prajnanam Brahma. 2 . Aham Brahma-Asmi. 3. Tat Tvam Asi. 4. Ayam Atma Brahma.
PRACTICE OF YOGA The first i s i n the Aitareya Upanishad of Rig-Veda. The second is i n the B rihadaranyaka Upanishad of Yajur-Veda. The third is i n the Chhandogya Upani shad o f Sarna-Veda. A n d the fourth is i n the · M andukya Upanishad of Atharvana-Veda. First is a Lakshana-Vakya which gives a definition of Brahman and i mparts Tadbodha-Jnana. Second is an Anubhava-Vakya which gives Sakshi-Jnana. Third is an Upadesa-Vakya which bestows S iva-Jnana. Guru instructs the disciple. Fourth is Sakshatkara Vakya which confers Brahma-Jnana. You can take any Mahavakya and meditate on it as you do on OM.
M EDITATION ON AHAM BRAHMA-ASMI Constantly feel that you are the Suddha Sat-Chit-Ananda Vyapaka Atman (Pure, existence absolute, knowledge absolute, bliss absol ute, all-pervading Brahman), when you repeat mentally: ' Aham B rahrrra-Asmi ' . Lip repetition is of no use. You must intensely feel from the subj ective heart. Gradually, you will be taken to h igher emotions through deep feelings. Sit i n your Asana on a fourfolded blanket. Face the north 'or the east and constantly feel that:� 1 . I am the i nfinite l ight. 2. I am omnipotent. 3. I .am omniscient.
Concentration on Breath Sit i n Padma, Siddha or Sukha Asana. Face the north or the east. Salute the Guru and Sri Ganesa (Om Sri Sat-Gurave Namah; Om Sri Ganesaya . Namah). B e steady i n the Asana. Now, fix the ·mind on the breath. The Jiva is uttering the 'Soham ' Mantra 2 1 ,600 times daily. A man's l ife is really made up of so many 'Soham' breaths according to Yoga and not of so many years. By Pranayama, you save the 'Soham' breaths and thus prolong your li fe, extend your longevity. If you watch carefully, the breath produces the sound 'So' during i nhalation, and the sound 'Hum' duri ng exhalation. 'Soham' is the breath of l i fe . OM is the soul of breath . That i s the difference. Eliminate 'H' and introduce ' I ' . Soham w i l l become " S o I am." ' Soham' means " I a m H e . I am that B rahman." Eliminate the consonants S and H, it becomes OM. Now then, concentrate on the breath. Do not thi n k of anything else. You wi ll notice that the breath w i l l graduall y become very, very slow, when concentration progresses. Utter the word 'So' mentally, when you i n hale and ' Hum' during exhalation.
MEDITATION Gradual ly, the word ' Soham' also will drop w hen there is deep concentration. You will be i n peace. You will be calm, serene and joyful. You will enter into s ilence.
Meditation on Soham This is same as meditation on OM. Some take a compound Mantra as: Hamsah Soham-Soham Hamsah. Before you practise Soham D hyana, you must negate, deny, (Neti-neti) by repeating: Na Aham_.:._J am not (this. body). Soham is an i mportant Mantra. Soham means "I am He. I am Brahman:" Repeat this M antra mentally. Your whole soul should feel you are the all-pervading . Atman. You should feel with all your heart, with all your mind with al l your i ntellect and w ith all your sou l . Then only ful l benefits o f Soham Mantra will b e realised. The meditation should .run for twen.ty-four hours. If B uddhi feels: "I am Brahman, I am omnipotent," and Chitta feels: "I am a cle�k in the High c;ourt. I am weak. I am hopeless. What shall I do for money for my daughter's marriage? I am afraid, the judge w i l l fi ne me," realisation is i mpossible. You must destroy all wrong Samskaras, all false i maginati ons, all weaknesses and all superstitions. Even if you are i n the mouth of a tiger, you must powerfully say: "Soham, Soham, Soham. I am n ot this body." You are then a real Vedantin. You are spoiled by the mind, through Avidya. It is not the mind that has limited you. It i s Avidya that has brought out this li mitation through i dentification with the mind. Draw the curtain of ignorance. Rest in Sat-Chit-Anaoda Brahman through the force of Soham Mantra;
Sagona Meditation Saguna meditation i s "''le l ditation on a form. Select any Murti you like best, either S i va, Vishnu, Rama or Krishna, according to your i nclination or taste. Or follow the directions of your Guru. He will select for you the lshta-Devata or tutelary deity. The Is.hta will guide you. An archer first aims at a grosser and bigger .object. Then he takes up a medium object. Finally he shoots at finer and subtle objects. Even so, one should take to Saguna meditation to start with and when the mind is trained and disciplined well, he can have Nirakara, Nirguna meditation. Saguna meditation i s meditation on a concrete object. Nirguna meditation is meditation on an abstract idea. S aguna Upasana removes Vikshepa. For three or six months, practise Trataka on any picture. After six month s ' practice of Trataka, meditate on the mental picture of the Murti from half to two hours in the Trikuti (the
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space between the two eyebrows). See and feel that the Ishta i s present i n every object of the u ni verse. When you meditate, mentally repeat the Mantra of the Devata. Think of the attributes of the deity, such as omnipotence, omniscience, etc. Feel that S attvic quali ties from the Ishta flow towards you. Feel that you possess these Sattvic qualities. This is Sattvic or Suddha Bhavana. You wi l l have Darshan of your Ishta in one or two years, if you are sincere in your Sadhana. Fol l ow this plan. This will help concentration. Move the mind on the various parts of the Murti. Take, for instance, the picture of idol of Lord Vi shnu with four hands and meditate as fol lows. The pnktice of Trataka is of great use in this S aguna meditation. Dhyeyah sada savitru-mandala-madhya vartee Narayanah sarasijasana-sannivishtah, Keyuravan makara-kundalavan kiritee Haree hiranmayavapur dhrita-sankha-chakrah. Gada-Padmadharo devo dvaraka-nilayochyutah.
"Meditate al ways on Narayana seated in the Asana of Lotus flower in the midst of a l ustrous sun in the lotus of heart or in the Tri kuti with golden armlets set with diamonds, with ear-rings, with golden crown set with diamonds, with golden necklace set with Kaustubha gem, and with golden colour, with disc, conch, mace and lotus flower in four hands-that indestructible Achyuta of Dvaraka." During meditation , move the mind on the various parts of Vishnu. See with the m i nd, His feet first, then His legs, then Hi s yellow silken cloth, then His golden Haara set with diamonds, Kaustubha gem, etc., on the breast, then the ear-rings, Makara-Ku ndalas, then the face, then the crown on the head, then the disc on the right upper hand, then the conch on the upper left hand, then the mace on the lower right hand, then the lotus-flower on the left lower hand. This i s the order. T h en come down to the feet and start agai n to the upper parts. By this method, the mind will not run towards objects. First medi tate on Virat-Purusha. Then meditation. Lastly, have Nirguna meditation .
take
up
Saguna
Nirguna Meditation This is meditation on Nirg una Brahman. This is meditation on OM. This is meditation on an abstract idea. Sit in Padmasana. Repeat OM mentally. Keep the meaning of OM always in the
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mi nd. Feel that you are the all -pervading, i nfi ni te l ight. Feel that you are the Suddha Sat-Chit-Ananda Vyapaka Atman, Nitya Suddha Siddha Buddha Mukta, eternally free Brahman. Feel that . you are Chaitanya . Feel that you are the Akhanda Pari puma; Ekarasa, Santa, i nfi n ite, eternal, unchanging existence. Every atom , every molecule, every nerve, vein , artery shoul d powerfully vi brate with these ideas. Lip repetition of OM w i l l not produce much benefit. It should be through heart, head and sou l . Your whole soul should feel that you are the subtle all-pervadi ng intelligence. This feeling should be kept up continuously. Negate the body-idea when you repeat OM mentall y. When ·you chant OM, feel : Infinity I am, All Light I am, All Joy I am, All Glory I am, All Power I am, All Knowledge I am, All Ananda I am,
OM OM OM OM OM OM OM
OM OM OM OM OM OM OM
OM OM OM OM OM OM OM
Meditate on the above ideas constantly. Constant effort with zeal and enthusiasm i s i ndispensably requisite. Repeat mentally the above ideas i ncessantly. You will realise. You wi l l have Atma-Darsana within two or three years. Wi ll and Manana are two important factors which play a conspicuous part in Nirguna meditation or Vedantic Sadhana. Manana is preceded by Sravana or hearing of Srutis and fol lowed by Nididhyasana of a constant nature with zeal and enthusiasm. Nididhyasana is profou�d meditation. Sakshatkara or Aparoksha real isation follows Nididhyasana. Just as the drop of water when dropped on a hot iron-piece becomes absorbed in the hot iron, the mind and the Abhasa Chaitanya (reflected consciousness,) become absorbed in Brahman. The balance left is Chinmatra, Chaitanya Matra or Consciousness Absol ute per se. Sravana, Manana and Nididhyasana of the Vedantic Sadhana correspond to Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi of Raja Yoga of Patanjali Maharshi. By worship, meditation and Japa of Mantras, the mind is actually shaped i nto the form of the object of worship and is made pure for the time bei ng through the purity of the object (namely Ishta Devata). By continual practice, the mind becomes ful l of the obj �ct to the exclusion of all el se, steady i n its purity and does not
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wander i nto impurity. As long as the rriind exists it must have an object and the object of Sadhana is to present it with a pure one. The sound repeatedly and harmoniously uttered in Japa of Mantra, must create or project i nto perception the corresponding thing, Devata. The Mantras gather creative momentum by repetition through the force of Samskaras. ·
In Samadhi, the mind loses its own consciousness and becomes identified with the object of meditation, Tadakara-Tadrupa. The meditator and meditated, the worshipper and worshipped, the thinker and the thought become one. The subject and the object, Aham and Idam (I and this), Drik and Drishya (seer and seen), the experiencer and the experienced become one. Prakasha and Vimarsha get blended into one. · Unity, identity, homogeneity, oneness, sameness refer to Nirvikalpa Samadhi. There are two kinds of Nirvikalpa Samadhi, viz., one in which the Jnani sees the whole world within himself as a movement of ideas, as a mode of being or a mode of his own existence, like B rahman, by resting in B rahman (Svarupa-Visranti). Brahman sees the worl d w ithi n Himself as His own Sankalpa or Vivarta. So does a Jnani also. This is the highest state of realisation as in the case of Lord Kri shna, Lord D attatreya, Sri Sankara, Jnana Dev and others.
Sarvabhutastham atmanam sarvabhutani chatmani Ikshatae yogayuktatma sarvatra samadarsana. "The self, harmonised by Yoga, seeth the self abiding in all beings, al l beings in the self, everywhere he seeth the same" (Gita, VI-29). B ut in the case of the man who has not realised, he sees the world as something outside, different and independent. This is due to Avidya. In the second variety, the world vanishes from view and the Jnani rests on Suddha Nirgu�a Brahman, according to Rajju Sarpa Nyaya (analogy of snake i n the rope}. When a Raja Yogi gives up his Savikalpa Samadhi, he meets the Jnani in Nirguna Brahman through B rahmakara-Vritti .
Positive Meditation I . I am the All (Sarvatva). 2. I am All in all (Sarvatmika). Medi tate on the above ideas. In this meditation, the body and the world are taken as Brahman,. as expressions of Brahman. It is
MEDITATION highly preposterous t9 thi nk that Brahman is by Itself full of Ananda and that which is expressed out of Brahman i s ful l of misery, pain and sorrow. Pessimism should be shunned. It is the Jiva-Srishti that i s at the bottom of all pain and misery. There is nothing wrong i n Isvara-Srishti. Isvara-Srishti does pot give the least pain . On the contrary, it is a helper ' of salvation . . Jiva-Srishti constitutes egoism, Kama, Krodha, mine, thine, 'I am the doer,' etc. This causes all trouble. This is due to Ajnana which causes identification with the l imited mind. Repeat the at?ove idea mentally at all times. Fe.e l that you are the All . Feel that your Sakti is working i n all bodies . Constantly dwell on these ideas: "The whole world is my body. All bodies are mine . All l i ves are mine. All pains are mine: All joys are mine." Jealousy, anger, hatred, egoism, etc., will vanish. In the Samadhi of positive meditation, the Jnani sees within "himself the world as a movement of ideas. He is both Saguna and Nirguna.
Negative Meditation "I am not the body. I am not the mind. I am Sat-Chit-Ananda Svarupa." Meditate on · the above ideas constantly. Feel that you are the Sat-Chit-Ananda Svarupa always, all thr9ugh twenty-four hours. Negate the body-idea. Incessant Sadhana · is necessary to remove Deha-Adhyasa which is due to Anadi Samskaras (beginningless i mpressjonsj.. If you can go above the body-consciousness, if you can leave the body at will, three-fourth of your Sadhana is over. There is a l ittle balance only. Then, there remains only the "drawi ng of the curtain; removal of the veil of Avidya." That can be done quite easily. Even when you move about, even when you are at work, always feel that you are al l-pervading, infinite Brahman. This i s important. Thinking, con£entration and effort to separate yourself from the body should go together. In negative meditation, the Jnani dwells in Suddha, Nirguna B rahma':l. He has no consciousness of the world.
Saguna and Nirguna Meditation Isha, Prasna, Katha, Tapaniya and the other Upanishads elaborately treat the method of contemplation of Brahman, as devoid of qual ities. B adarayana, in a chapter of Brahma-Sutras, which deals with the nature of qualities of Brahman, mentions positive attributes l ike j oyful, intelligent, etc., as wel l as negative attri butes like measureless, colourless, etc. Both kinds of attributes are referred to the absolute and yet the contemplation of such ·a Brahman can be called Nirguna Upasana or meditation on ·
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conditionless B rahman. The chief distinction between the contemplations of the conditioned (Saguna) and unconditioned (Nirguna) B rahman i s that i n the former the devotee looks upon It as rea lly connected with those attributes, while i n the latter, positive and negative qualjties are not viewed as essentially connected w i th It, qut as suggesting Its absolute nature. Hence, joyful, etc . , do not enter i nto the essence of the contemplated Brahman, but act as a gateway for grasping Its true nature. In the · contemplation of the conditioned Brahman those and simi lar other properties form a part of the contemplation. The term N i rguna does not mean that Brahman is a negative concept, that Brahman is a non-entity or zero. It means that the qualities found here in l i m i tation, are found i l l i m i table i n B rahman. I t means that the attrib�tes are Brahman's essential nature or His Svarupa. It means that Brahman does not possess perishable qual i ties of matter like the bl ue colour of a cloth but possesses all auspic ious qual ities (Sarva Kalyana Gunas). Brahman is Nirguna-Guni . So also, by Nirakara, it- does not mean that Brahman i s formless. It means: He has not got a l i m i ted form as that of objects, but has a form unimaginable. What form can you attribute to i nfi n i ty? Many have a crude idea of Brahman. They say : "Brahman i s a block of stone, because He has no qualities. He is a regul ar' void, a zero." No, no. They are entirely mi staken. They have not made S ad-Vichara. They have various doubts. They have a gross i nte l lect which is unfit for philosophical investigation (Vichara), di scri mi nation, reflection, ratioci nation, etc. They have not studied the i n fal l ible Upan i shads, the right means of know ledge, the right source of wi sdom, which give an accurate know ledge of Brahman. The Upanishads are i nfallible, because they appeal to the reason of every thinker, every phi losopher. They tally w i th the experiences of realised sou ls. Hence they are infall i ble. Their authority i s more val id than that of perception or i nference. Brahman i s extremel y subtle. He is finer than thousandth part of a poi nt of a hair divided i n to a thousand parts. A subtle, cal m , pure, sharp-poi nted, clear and one-poi nted Suddha B uddh i is needed for understanding and medi tati ng on Brahman. They suffer from Samsaya-Bhavana-doubts regarding the validi ty of the Upanishads and the true nature of Brahman. They should purify the m i nd by selfless service, should study the Upanishads, should develop the four means of qual ifications and should have constant Satsanga. Then, they wi ll have i ntel lectual conviction and
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intel lectual grasp of Brahman. By Sravana, Manana and Nididhyasana, they can reach Brahman. This is the royal road. So, Brahman is fu ll of auspicious Gunas. He is a lump of luminosity. He is Praj nana-Ghana. He is a solid mass of knowledge. He is real ly more solid than Himalayas. Knowledge is more heavy and more concrete than a huge block of stone. [n Saguna meditation, the devotee considers himself . as entirely di fferent from the object of worship. The worshipper makes a total, unreserved, ungrudgi ng, self-surrender to the Lord. He respects, honours and adores the Lord and depends on Him for everything,-for food, protection and his very existence. He looks al ways for help of any sort from the Ishta-Devata. There is nothi ng independent for hi m. He is an i nstrument in the hands of the Lord. His hands, legs, senses, mi nd, B uddhi, physical body-all belong to the Lord. A devotee does not l i ke at all the idea of Jnana or merging. He likes to have his separate entity as a servant and to serve, worship and love the Lord always. He does not like to become sugar as a Jnan i , but l i kes to taste sugar and eat sugar. This method of worship is one of contraction. Suppose there is a circle. You have a pos ition i n the centre. You contract yourself to a point and merge i n the circumference. This is Saguna meditation. This is suitable for people of emotional temperament. Vast ' majority of persons are fit for this l i ne of worship only. [n Nirguna meditation, the aspirant takes himself as Brahman. He denies and subl ates; the false adjuncts or ficti tious environments as egoism, mind and body. He depends upon himself al one,-absolute self-reliance. The aspirant asserts boldly. He reflects, · reasons out, i nvestigates, discriminates and meditates on the Self. He does not want to taste sugar but to become a solid mass of sugar itself. He wants merging. He l ikes to be identical with Brah:nan. Thi s method is one of expansion of lower sel f. Suppose there is a circle. You have a position i n the centre. You expand by Sadhana to such a great extent that you occupy the whole circ le, and envelop the circu mference. This method of meditation is suitable for persons of fine i ntellect, bold understanding, strong and accurate reasoning and powerful w i l l . Only a microscopic minority o f persons are fit for this l i ne of meditati on. It is comparati vely easy to meditate on Aham B rahma Asmi when you are seated in a steady posture in a sol itary, closed room. But it is very, very difficult to keep up this idea amidst crowded
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surroundings, while the body moves. If you meditate for one hour and feel that you are Brahman, and if you feel for the remaining twenty-three hours that you are the body, the Sadhana is perfectly useless, and it cannot produce the desired result. So, at all times, you must try to keep up the idea that you are Brahman. This i s very, very important. . A worldly mind needs thorough overhauling and a complete psychological transformation. Concentration and meditation bring about the construction of a new mind, with a new mode of thinking. Contemplative life i s ·diametrically opposite to worldly life. It is an entire change altogether. Old Vishaya .Samskaras have to be thoroughly aimihilated through constant and intense practic�s carried on with zeal for a long time .a nd thereby new spiritual Samskaras have to be created. r
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CHAPTER TEN
SPECIAL SADHANA Mauna Mauna is the vow of silence. It is absolutely necessary for a spiritual l ife. Much energy is wasted by idle gossiping and tall talk. All e nergies must be conserved and transmuted i nto Ojas-Sakti. This w i l l help you in meditation. If circumstances prevent you to observe Mauna, strictly avoid long talk, big talk, tall talk, all unnecessary talks, all sorts of vain · debates and discussions etc., and withdraw yourself from society as much as possible. If thi s energy is conserved by Mauna, it will be transmuted i nto Ojas-Sakti, which will be of immense use i n your Sadhana. Speech i s Tejomaya according to Chhandogya Upanishad. The gross portion of fire goes to constitute bone; the middle portion to form marrow ; and the subtle portion to form speech. So speech i s a very powerful energy. Remember this. Remember this always. Observe Mauna for one year or six months. If you cannot do for months contin uously, observe the vow of sil�nce at least for a day in the week, j ust as Mahatma Gandhiji does. You must draw _ the inspiration from .Mahatmas l ike Sri Krishna Ashram Maharaj w ho is now living absolutely nude for the last eight years i n the icy regions of Himalayas. He i s observi ng Kaashtha Mauna, a rigid vow of silence, for the l ast eight years. In Kaashtha Mauna, you should not communicate your thoughts to others even in writing or by signs. Why not you also become a Krishna Ashram of w ide reputation and glory? When the Indriyas are silent, it is termed Indriya M auna or Karana Mauna. When you keep the body steady and i mmovable, it is termed Kaashtha M'mlna. In Sushupti (deep slumber) there i s Sushupti Mauna. The real Mauna comes only when there is absence of duality and separation, when all mental modifications cease. This is Maha Mauna. It is Para Brahman.
Antaranga Sadhana Nishkamya Karma Yoga or the performance of disinterested
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works is Bahiranga Sadhana, which leads you to meditation on Aham B rahma Asmi . Karma is more .external than the four means of sal vation and the Sadhana Chatushtaya. The four means are more external than S ravana. Sravana is more external than Manana or reflection of what i s heard through teacher or books. Manana is more external than Nididhyasana. Antaranga Sadhana is Nididhyasana or deep meditation on Aham Brahma-Asmi and its meaning. In Ashtanga Yoga of Patanjali Maharshi al so you have the Bahiranga and Antaranga Sadhana. Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama and Pratyahara constitute the Bahiranga Sadhana; whi le Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi comprise Antaranga Sadhana.
Svara Sadhana By knowing the nature of inspiration and expiration, by havi ng a comprehensive · �nderstanding and practice of the Svara Sadhana (science of breath), comes i nto being the knowledge of the past, present and future. This science, the hidden of the hidden, the secret of the secret, the revealer of Satya or Brahman, the bestower of bliss and supreme knowledge is a pearl , a precious gem on the head of the wi se. This knowledge is easily understood if faith, interest and attention are sincerely bestowed on the part of aspi rants. It exc i tes wonder i n the unbelievers. I n the Svara are the Vedas and Sastras. The Svara is the reflection of Para Brahman. A knowledge more secret than the science of breath, wealth more useful than the science of breath, has never been seen or heard of. �riends are brought together by the power of breath . I n the body are the Nadi s having many forms and extensions. They ought to be known by the wise and the aspirants for the sake of knowledge. B ranching off from the root, Kanda, i n the navel, 72,000 Nadis extend i n the body. Kundal ini Sakti i s sleeping like a serpent in the M u l adhara Chakra. From here 1 0 Nadis go upwards and 1 0 dow nwards. Of all these, three Nadis viz., Ida, Pi ngala and Sushumna are the most important. Ida is in the left part; Pingala is in the right part and Sushumna is in the middle of the vertebral column. Prana passes through all these Nadis to the different parts of the body. Ida flows through the left nostri l , Pi ngal a through the right and Sushumna through both. Ida is the lunar, moon or the Chandra Nadi. Pingala is the sol ar, sun or the Surya Nadi . The Jiva is ever repeating the Soham
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Mantra. Watch the breath carefully. You will notice that the sound SO is produced during i nhalation and HAM during exhalation. Watch very carefully the motion of the Ida and Pingala. Keep the Prana and mind cal m. To those men who keep the sun and moon in proper order, knowledge of the past and future becomes as easy as if they were in thei r hands. In Ida, the appearance of the breath is that of Amrita. It is the great nourisher of the world. In the right, the world is al ways born. In the midst, the Sushumna moves. Do calm acts during the flow of moon. Do harsh acts during the flow of sun. Do acts resulting in the attai nment of psychic powers, Yoga and salvation, during the flow of S ushumna. The moon and the sun have duration of fi ve Ghatis (two hours). They flow in order during the 60 Ghatis of a day. Then by a Ghati each, the fi ve Tattvas flow. The qays begin with the Pratipada (the first lu nar day). When the order is reversed, the effect is reversed. In the bright fortni ght, the left is powerful. In the dark fortnight, the right is powerful. If the breath rises by Ida at sunrise and flows throughout the day and . Pingala rises at sunset and flows throughout the night, it confers considerable good results. Let the breath flow through Ida, the left nostril, throughout the whole day from sunrise to sunset, and through Pi ngala, the right nostril, throughout the n ight from sunset to sunrise. Thi s is the practice of S vara Sadhana. He who practises thus is veri ly a great Yogi . Pract se thi s. Practise this. Practise this, my dear children. Now, wake up to drink the nectar of immortality. S hake off your habitual sloth, i ndolence, i nertia and all aspects of Tamas. Leave off your idle talks, gossipi ng and the obnox ious habit of criticising others. Do something usefu l . Do something practical . Wrong S vara is the cause o f a host o f ailments. Observance of right S vara as described above confers health and longevity. Thi s will doubtless bestow on you wonderful benefits. ·
HOW iO CHAN G E THE FLOW The fol lowing exercises are for ·c hanging the flow of Ida to Pi ngala. Select any one of the methods that suits you best. For changi_ng the flow from Pingala to Ida, just do the same exercise on the opposite side:
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I . Plug the left nostri l with a small piece of cotton or fine cloth
for a few minutes.
2. Lie down on the left side for ten minufes.
3. Sit erect. Draw the left knee up and keep the left heel near
the left buttock. Now press the left armpit on the knee. In a few seconds the flow w i l l be through Pingala.
4. Keep the two hee l s together near the right upper buttock. The right knee w i l l be over the left knee. Keep the left pal m on the ground a foot away and let the weight of the trunk rest on the left hand. Turn the head also towards the left side. This is an effective method. Catch hold of the left ankle with the right hand. 5. The flow of breath can be changed by Nauli Kriya also.
6. Place the "U" shaped end of the Yoga Danda (wooden stick of about 2 feet long) at the left armpit and l ean on it by the left side.
7. The most effective and i nstantaneous result is produced in
changing the flow through Khechari Mudra. The Yogi turns the tongue i nside and blocks the passage by the tip of the tongue.
Awakening the Kundalihi Kundal i ni , the serpent-power or the mystic fire, is that pri mordi al energy or Sakti that lies dormant in the basal Mul adhara-Chakra. It is cal led the serpentine power. It is an electric occu lt power, the great pristine force which underlies all organic and inorganic matter. Chakras are centres of spiritual energy situated in the Linga Sarira, (astral body). They have corresponding centres in the Sthula Sarira (physical body) also, j ust as B uddhi, understanding, intelligence, etc. which are really i n the Li nga Sarira, have corresponding centres i n the brain also. Kundali ni can be awakened through concentration and control of Vri ttis by Raj a Yogins, through the grace of the Guru and devotion by Bhaktas, through tht: analytical w i l l .by the Jnana Yogins, and through Mantras by Mantra Yogins. As soon as it is awakened, i t pierces the Muladhara Chakra. It should be taken up to the Sahasrara Chakra through various Chakras. When the Ku ndal ini is awakened, the Yogi sees mentall y a huge mass o f golden l ight enveloping his body as if to consume him. He should not at all be afraid. The Yogi experiences different grades of Ananda and Siddhi s at different Chakras. Supreme
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SPECIAL SADHANA fearlessness, astral visions, mental visions, Vijnana visions, Siddh!s and spiritual Ananda are the signs to denote the awakening of the Kundalini. The S adhana for this Kundali n i Yoga should be done carefully and the space in thi s book w i l l not permit me to deal with this subject in detail giving the descriptions of the various Nadis and Chakras. Readers are requested to refer to my book "Kundalini Yoga."
Laya Yoga Dharana is the intense and perfect concentration of the mind · upon some i nternal centre or external object or Sounds l i ke Anahata sounds or any abstract idea, accompanied by a complete abstraction from everythi ng pertai ni ng to the external universe or the world of senses. Dharana i s absolutely necessary i n Laya Yoga. Sit in Padma or Siddha Asana. Practise Yoni Mudra by cl osi ng the ears through the th umbs. Hear the i nternal sound through the right ear. The sound which you hear w i l l make you deaf to all external sounds. Havi ng overcome all obstacles, you will enter the Turiya state withi n fi fteen days by the practice of Laya Yoga. In the begi nning of your practice you w i l l hear many loud sounds. They gradually i ncrease in pitch and after steady practice, they are heard more and more subtle. You should try to distinguish sounds that are more subtle. You may change your concentration from the gross sound to the subtle or from the subtle to the gross sound, but you should not allow your mind to be diverted from these to any other object. The mind, havi ng at first concentrated itself on any one sound, fi xes fi rml y to that and is absorbed in it. The mind becoming insensible to the external i mpressions, becomes one w ith the sound as milk with water and then becomes rapidl y absorbed i n Chidakasa. Being indifferent tow ards a l l objects, having controlled the passions, you should by continual practice concentrate your attention upon the soun'd which destroys the mind. Havi ng abandoned all ·thoughts and being freed from all actions, you should always concentfate your attention on the sound, and then your Chitta becomes absorbed in it. Just as the bee which i s dri nking the honey does not care for the odour, s o also the Chitta which is al ways absorbed i n sound does not long for sensual objects, as it is bound by the sweet smell of Nada (Anahata sound) and has abandoned i ts fl itti ng nature. The serpent Chitta, through
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listening to the Nada, is entirely absorbed in it. The Chitta becomes u nconscious 'of everything and concentrates itself on the sound. The sound serves the purpose of a 91'\arp goad to control the maddened el ephant-Chitta which roves in the pleasure garden of sensual obj ects . It serves the purpose of a snare for binding the deer-Chitta. It also serves the purpose of a shore to the ocean waves of Chitta. Anahata sound that is heard is of ten kinds. The first is Chini (like the sound that is produc:ed w hen you utter this word Chini); the second is C hi ni-chi ni ; toe . third is the ' sound of bel l ; the fourth is that of conch; the fifth is that of l ute; the sixth is that of Tal a (cymbals); the seventh is that of flute ; the eighth is that of Bheri (drum); the ni nth i s that of Mridanga (double drum) and the tenth is that of thunder. You can experience the tenth sound without the first nine sounds · through the i nitiation of a Guru. The sound proceeding from Pranava which is Brahman is of the nature of effulgence. The mind becomes absorbed in it. That is the supreme seat of Vi shnu. The mind e�ists as long as there is sound, but with the cessation of it there is that state termed Turiya. This sound is absorbed in B rahman and this soundless state is the supreme seat. The mind which along with Prana has its Karmic affinities destroyed by the constant concentration upon Nada, is absorbed in B rahman. There is. no doubt of it. Being freed from all states and all thoughts, the body wil l appear l i ke a dead body or like a log of wood and does not feel heat or cold, joy or sorrow. When the spiritual sight becomes fi xed without any object to be seen, when the Prana becomes still without any effort, and when the Chitta becomes firm without any support, you become Brahman. When Manas is destroyed, when virtues and sins are burnt away, you shine as . the effulgent, im maculate, eternal, stainless, S uddha Brahman. You are a Mukta now.
Auto-suggestion Every one of you should know and practise this, as it has marvellous benefits. Whatever medicine can do, this. psychic method powerfu l l y accomplishes in getting rid of diseases and establi shing admirable health, power, energy and vitality. This practice is an offshoot of Vedantic Sadhana. This is nothing new to India. The term auto-suggestion is a new colouring and a new · garb. This consists of powerful assertions. The formula is: "I am ·
SPECIAL SADHANA becoming better and better every day, in every way." Constantly . repeat this mentally. Constantly dwell on these thoughts. As you think, so you become; Think that you . are strong, strong you become . Thi nk that you are weak, weak you become. Think that you are a sinner, sinner you become. Think that you are Brahman, Brahman you become. M i nd makes the hell of heaven and heaven of hel l . . "Mana eva manushyanam karanam bandhamokshayoh mind only is the cause for bondage and liberation." Never give room for dark, negative thoughts. Drive them. Ki l l them on the spot . Even if you are the poorest of the poor, the dul lest of the dull, never move a fraction of an inch from your real position. Tat Tvam Asi-Thou art That (Brahman). You are the sun. The whole world moves around you. There is nobody superior to you in the whole world. Assert strongly. Affirm. You w i l l feel tremendous strength and power. Suppose you want to get rid of any disease, j ust fol l(,)W any one . of the fol lowing four methods:
. I . Personify the di sease. Assert. Command: "0 disease ! Get out
of my system." The disease will die. The vital force inside wil l bring abol;lt repai r and renewed energy. This method demands strong will-power.
2. Ignore and do not thi nk of the disease. Divert the mind when thoughts of the body arise. Do this several times. The disease will disappear. The children do not feel cold or heat while at play. Sleep vanishes when you are keenly attending a cinema show. Hunger passes when you are interested in a music-party. Why ? Because the mi nd is di verted and kept occupied in something else. This is an easy method. Combine No. 1 with No. 2. This is 'l .? healthy combi nation.
3 . Deny the existence of disease. This corresponds to Ajati-Vada of Vedanti ns.
4. Truce method. Make alliance and friendship with the disease. Praise the disease: "0 disease, you are Sakti. You are a great . power of Brahman. It is enough you have troubled me. I know your potency'. ' Ki ndl y get out of my system." The disease w i l l be cured. The vital force i nside w i l l attend to the wear and tear, and induce renewed energy and vitality. This is an easy method. In the
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treatment of cobra-poi soni ng cases, those who use Mantra, praise the king cobra and the patient is cured. You cannot derive the beneficial results in a couple of days. You must cal m l y wait for some time. Have constant practice till you establ i sh a mental habit. Then the subconscious mind will do the work for you. Auto-suggestion i s · a powerful , cheap agent to develop your w i l l -power. You can get over any difficulty. You can tide over despairi ng s i tuation. You can smile over any adverse circum stance. Before the m i nd always have the word-i m age: Power-Stre ngth-Vi tal i ty.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
THE YOGA OF WISDOM Theory of Vedanta There is no philosophy so bold and sublime as the philosophy of Vedanta. It is Vedanta alone that can totall y eradicate human sufferings and bring everlasting peace and happiness. Even a little understanding and practice of this sublime philosophy can raise a man to magnani mous heights of Brahman, God-consciousness, and· can remove all sorts of fears, worries and anxieties of this mundane life. Even some western philosophers say now: "We are Christiaru; by birth. B ut we are Vedantins by faith, because we find genuine solace and real peace which the soul hankers after only i n the Upanishads o f the East. Thanks to the Vedanta philosophy and salutations to the Seers of the Upanishads." The goal of l i fe is Sel f-reali sation which confers immortality, highest bliss, unlimited knowledge and supreme peac�. Fix i ng the mind on the source or the i n ner Self and getting it absorbed there is the highest Yaj na, highest charity, highest Karma, highest Bhakti, highest Yoga or the highest knowledge. The little self-arrogating nature vanishes now. Just as the river joins the ocean, the little self becomes one with the ocean of bliss. With the disappearance of the little i l lusory ego, comes the disappearance of 'mine' and ' thine,' 'this' and 'that,' time, space and causation, the pairs of opposites, the ideas of Jiva, Isvara, Prakriti , etc. The whole world presents itself as the Atman. This grand vision, this magnanimous S amadhi or superconsciousness is Atma-Darshana or vision of the Ulti mate Reality which is . beyond description. Many have attained this vision and l i ke some all can experience this highest state. .
The Atman is Brahman, absolute, i nfinite or supreme Being. It is existence absolute, knowledge absolute and bliss absolute. It is · eternal, perfect, pure and self-luminous. It is sel f-delight and · self-knowledge. It is bodiless and formless (Nirakara). It i s al l-pervadi ng, al l-fu ll and i mperishable. I t has neither beginning nor end. It exi sts i n the past, present and future. It is self-existent (Svayambhu). It is· the source for this body, mind, Prana, Indriyas,
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Vedas and the uni verse. No one can deny It, because It is the inner Self of all bei ngs. Atma-Jnana or knowledge of the Self is the real isation of the identity between the · i ndividual soul and the supreme Soul, Jiva and B rahman. This is the Gnosis of the Greeks. This is attained through discrim ination, dispassion,,...self-restraint and constant meditation on the significance of the "Tat Tvam Asi'' Mahavakya. We have come to this world to learn lessons and different experiences. This world i s a great school. Man evolves from mineral kingdom to vegetable kingdom, from vegetable kingdom to animal kingdom, from animal kingdom to human kingdom. There are four classes. Humanity is the final class of this vast world-school. If he gets success i n this class by rigorous training, discipline and S adhana, he becomes a full-blown Yogi or Jnani . He attains eternal life. and immortality.
·
Jada B harata, Vamadeva, S ankara, Madalasa, Yaj navalkya, Svetaketu-all h ave attained perfection and freedom. The possibility of reach i ng their level is within the reach of all who are ready to struggle h ard with patience, perseverance, iron determination and strong will. A man under normal conditions has to take countless births before he attains perfection or knowledge of the Self. If a man is sincere in his spiritual Sadhana, he can evolve quickly, and can hasten his spiritual progress in a few births· w hich otherwise would take many thousands of years. He can cut short the cycle of births by drastic Sadhana, great · self-control and deteimi ned effort. He can have Self-realisation within the twinkling of an eye in one birth, if he is a first-class aspirant with ful l Brahmacharya and good spiritual S amskaras. · Just as one thread penetrates all flowers i n a garland, so also one Self penetrates all these living beings. Behold this one Self in all . Give up the idea of diversity. Love all. Be kind to all. Serve all. You will be established i n Brahman. When one Atman dwell s in a l l l i ving beings, then w h y do you hate others? Why do you sneer and frow n at others? Why do you use h arsh words? Why do you try to rule and domineer others? Why do you exploit others? Why are you i ntolerant? Is this not sheer ignorance? Jnana (knowledge of tP,e Self) alone is eternal. It is without beginning, middle or end. Jnana alone exists even after the Pralaya or the cosmic deluge. Jnana is immortal. Jnana is one. Jnana is
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bliss. Jnana is supreme peace. J nana is Atman or Brahman . Jnana is the real essence or su bstance. Avidya, Mula-Prakriti or Ajnana constitutes the causal body or seed-body of man. Just as you wear an i nnermost vest, over it a silk shirt, and over it a thick coat, so also this Arman has three coveri ngs or bodies,-the i nnermost causal body, over it the subtle Linga Sarira, and over it the gross physical body. Just as there i s death for the physical body, so also there i s death for the Li nga S arira and Karana Sarira. Destruction of egoism, thoughts, Vasanas, Raga, Dvesha etc., bri ngs · about death of the mind (Manonasa). Destruction of Aj nana causes the death of Karana Sarira. Di versities or heterogenei ties which you notice in this world are mental creati ons. When the mind is annihilated by the destruction of Sankalpas, desi res and egoism, all diversities vanish. Jnana. alone remai ns. Jnana alone shi nes in i ts pristine glory i n Niralamba state (without any support). 'This Atman (Self) within the body, resplendent and pure, can be reached by truth and Tapas, by sound knowledge and by abstinence f:-om sexual pleasures constantly practised; He is within the body, resplendent and pure: Him assiduous Sannyasins see, their faults (of anger, l ust, etc.) being removed." -Mundakopanishad, III- I , 5. This body is not meant for the satisfaction of petty ends. It i s for rigorous penance here and infi nite happiness hereafter. I t is an instrument for ac hieving the goal of human life, i .e., attainment of Brahma-Jnana. It serves the purpose of a boat to cross this ocean of Samsara to the other side, the abode of bliss, peace and immortality.
Important Qualifications The cause for the pain is--p leasure. Sensual pleasure is as much an evil as pai n . It should be shunned ruthlessly. One anna of pleasure is m i xed with fifteen annas of pai n. Pleasure that is mi xed with pain, fear, worry, anxiety, sin and exertion is no pleasure at al l . Enjoyment cannot bri ng about satisfaction of a desire. Just as ghee when poured over fire i ntensifies it, so also enjoyment aggravates the desire and makes the m i nd more restless through craving. The sensual pleasure is transitory, momentary or evanescent. When you seriously ponder over, you w i l l find that the
PRACTICE OF YOGA sensual pleasure is no pleasure at all. It is Bhranti-Sukha. It i s mere mental i magination. I t is mere titi l l ation o f the nerves. I t i s mere itching of the nerves o r the lndriyas. Just as you feel some momentary sensation when you scratch an itching part, so also you fi nd some nervous sensation when you put some Jilebi or orange in your tongue. For a serious thinker, a man of discrimination, or Vicharavan, there is no pleasure in sensual objects. It is all pain "Sarvam Duhkham Vivekinah. The world is a ball of fire. There is a ball of . fire with i n the Antahkarana. Jealousy, passion, hatred, anger, etc., are burning you every second. On account of ignorance or Maya Moha-Jala, pain is mistaken for pleasure by the worldly-minded persons. "
Never say, "My body. My son. My wife. My house." Attachment is the root cause of all the mi series and troubles of thi s world. Discipl i ne the mind carefu l l y. The old habits wi l l creep in . Destroy them to the very root. Lead a life of mental non attachment. This is the master-key. to open the realm of Brahmic bliss. Non-attachment is dispassion or indifference to the sensual enjoyments. He who has acquired the four means of salvation such as Vi veka (di scri mination between the Real and the unreal), Vairagya (indifference to sensual enjoyments herein and hereafter), Shat-Sampat (sixfold · virtues) viz., Sarna (tr_anqu i l l ity of mind through eradication of Vasanas or subtle hidden · desires), Dama (self-restraint or control of the Indriyas), Uparati (renunciation), Titiksha (power of endurance), Sraddha (faith in Sastras and Guru's words) , S amadhana (contentment) and Mumukshutva (longi ng for l i beration), who is proficient in Srutis and Upanishads, who is of good qualities, straightforward, intent upon the welfare of all bei ngs, and an ocean of compassion, who has the virtue of B rahmacharya is a qualified person for the attainment of Self-knowl edge. He shoul d approach a Guru wi h presents i n his hand, should serve him with obedience and humility and hear the Upani shads, Vedanta-Sutras and Mahavakyas (the great sentences of the Upanishads). ·
That man i s fit to tread the path of Jnana who has shaken off earthl y i mpurities, w ho has removed worldliness and all sorts of
THE YOGA OF WISDOM worldly attachments. He cleanliness of life also.
must
have
purity· of nature
and
Joana Yoga Sadhana You should reflect and meditate. Sravana is hearing of Srutis. Manana is thinki ng and reflecti ng. Nididhyasana is constant and profound meditation. Then comes Atma-Sakshatkara or direct Self-realisation . This i s also known as Brahmanubhava or Aparokshanubhuti. Then all doubts and del usions melt away. The knot of ignorance (Hridaya-Granthi) is cut asunder. All Karmas (Sanchita and Prarabdha) are destroyed. The Jnani attains Sat-Chit-Ananda state. He is freed from the wheel of Samsara, from births and deaths with its concomitant evi ls. A student in the path of Jnana Yoga repeats OM or Soham or Si voham or Aham Brahma Asmi or OM Tat Sat and associates with the ideas of purity, perfection, infinity, eternity, i mmortality, Sat-Chit-Ananda. A beginner in Vedanta should study Atma-Bodha, Drik Drishya-Viveka, Tattva-Bodha, select works of Sri Sankara, Laghu Vasudeva Manana, Panchi karana and Vivekachudamani . English translati ons are avail able. He should have a comprehensive understanding of the Vedantic Prakriyas. He should have an intelligent grasp of the three bodiys, five sheaths and their Dharmas or fu nctions, and the three states of consciousness, viz., Jagrat, Svapna and S ushupti . He should know the various Yuktis such as An vaya-vyatireka, Adhyaropa-apavada, Neti-neti, Laya-Chintana, B haga-Tyaga-Lakshana, etc. He should have a clear knowledge of Vi varta-Vada, Kevala-Advaita-Vada, Drishti Srishti -Vada, Svaprakasha-Vada, Ajati-Vada, etc. Advanced students should study the Upanishads, B rahma Sutras, Panchadasi, Vichara Sagara, Naishkarma Siddhi, Chit Sukhi, Khandana Khadyam, Advaita Siddhi , the monumental works of Vedanta, etc. Advanced books should be studied under a Brahma-Srotri, Brahmani shtha. The aspirant should repeat mentally Pranava (OM) at least 2 1 ,600 ti mes dail y. He should start his Sadhana, Japa and Ni rakara meditation early in the morning at 4 a.m. He should possess the four means of salvation. Even if you have nothing to eat, even if you have no clothing to·
PRACTICE OF YOGA wear, remember that you are i n essence the l iving Truth, the livi ng Reality. Destroy the slave-men tality. Roar OM OM OM, Ram Ram Ram and come out of the cage of flesh, 0 Satyakama , lover of truth ! Assert, affirm, recognise and realise the Truth. Selfishness retards spiritual progress. If anyone can destroy hi s selfishness, half of his spiritual Sadhana is over. No Samadhi or meditation is possible without eradication of this . undesirable negative quality. Aspirants should direct their whole attention towards the removal of this dire malady by protracted selfless, disinterested service. "Ahamta" and "Mamata" are the two poisonous fangs of the mi nd-serpent. Extract these two teeth and the serpent-mind is tamed. There can be no bondage. It is the mind that creates the ideas of "I-ness" and "mine-ness." It is the mind that links the Jiva with the body and creates intense Deha-adhyasa and the man thinks "I am the body." It is the mind that causes attachment to wife, children and property. If the binding link in the mind is destroyed, you can remai n wherever you li ke. You can roam about peacefu l l y in any part of the world, unattached like water on the lotus-l eaf. Nothing can bi nd you. The whole mischief is wrought by the mind. A man may rule a vast dominion and yet he can be non-attached. The old S amskaras of vanity, cunningness, crookedness, arrogance, jealousy, petty-mindedness, fighting nature, boasting or braggi ng, sel f-esteem or thinking· too much of one's own self, speaking i l l of others, belittling others may be still lurking in your mi nd. You cannot shine unless you remove them thoroughly. Success in meditation is not possible without eradicating these undesirable negative qualities of the lower nature. Enquiry of ' w ho am I?' , meditation on OM, Soham, Sivoham or on the significance of Mahavakyas are all the same. They all constitute B rahma Abhyasa or Jnana Yoga Sadhana. In the begi nning for six months meditate on ( 1 ) the blue expansi ve sky, the all-pervading air, ether, l ight, Himalayas or the infinite ocean; (2) the abstract q ualities such as mercy, patience, generosity, etc; (3) the ab�tract ideas such as Akhanda, Aparicchinna existence, wisdom, . bl iss, truth, eternity, infinity, immortality, purity, etc. This will render the mind subtle and sharp, and prepare it for deep abstract meditation on the Afman. ·
.
THE YOGA OF WISDOM When you are in the company of women, say within and feet "Eka Sat-Chit-Ananda Atman in all these names and forms. Names and forms are fal se. They have no i ndependent existence. Their support or Adhi shthana is Sat-Chit-Ananda Atman . Lust w i l l vanish. Sex-idea w i l l disappear. This is the best S adhana for eradication of sex-i dea and lustful propensity. Practise, feel and real ise the truth of the above statement.
0 Saumya! Dear Immortal Self! Be bold and cheerful even though you have nothing to eat, though you are clad i n rags. Thy essential nature i s Sat-Chit-Ananda (exi stence absolute, knowledge absolute, bliss absolute). The outer cloak, this mortal physical sheath i s an i l lusory Mayaic production. Smile, whistle, laugh, jump, dance in j oy and ecstasy. Sing Om. Thou art not thi s · perishable body. Thou art the i mmortal Soul. Thou art the sexless Atman . Thou art the King of kings, Emperor of emperors, Brahman of the Upani shads, the Atman who dwells in the chambers of your heart. Feel as such. Claim your birthright not from tomorrow or the day after, but right now, from this very second. "Tat Tvam Asi. Thou art That." Feel . Assert. Recognise .. Real ise. . Lead a l ife of au sterity and meditation. This worl d is noth ing. All objects of this world are worthless, because they are trans ient, ephemeral and peri shable. Understand the nature of Brahman. It is i mpossible for a man who has intense Deha-Abhimana (attachment for the body) to attai n Atma-Jnana or reali se oneness of life. Do not identify yourself with body, wife, children, objects, etc. Give up all ideas of possessions. Never cal l anything: "This i s mi ne." B e established i n the one idea: "Brahman alone shines and exists. I am Brah man." Become a Jivanmukta. E njoy the firial Beatitude.
Your Real Nature Your real nature is Sat-Chit-Ananda. You are Existence Absolute, Know ledge Absolute and B liss Absolute. You are identical with Brah man. You are one w ith Brahman. " Tat Tvam Asi- Thou art That." Never, never forget .this. You are the creator of this uni verse. You are the Lord of Nature. The whole world i s your handicraft. Sun, moon and stars all speak of your glory. There is not the least doubt about this. Desire, weakness, pain, anger, inabi l i ty, etc., are all Upadhi-Dharmas. They are all wrong
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Samskaras, due to Aj nana or Avidya. The Upadhi-Dharmas do not · belong to the thing-in-itself. You are infinite, eternal, unchanging, al l-pervading exi stence. You are Anandamaya. You are Sat-Chit-Anandamaya. You are Chinmaya. You are Tanmaya. You are Jnanamaya. You are Tejomaya. You are Satyam. You are Paripurna. You are Akhanda Eka Rasa Paripuma Sat-Chit-Ananda Para B rahman. You are Kaivalya. You are Kevala. You are Turiya. You are Drik. You are Sanmatra. You are Chinmatra. You are Nitya, Suddha, Siddha, B uddha, Mukta. You are Niranjana. You are Chaitanya. You are S antam, Si vam, Subham, Sundaram, Kantam. You are Akhanda, Aparicchi nna, Advitiya Brahman. You are Asanga, Akarta, Abhokta, Asakta, Nirlipta. You are the source of all th ings. You are the source of Vedas. You are the source of all know ledge. You are the Sakshi n. You are the Mayavin. You are the illuminer. You are the Supreme. You are Purushottama. You are S i va, Vi shnu and Brahma. ·
Moksha is not something to be achieved. You are already free. You are ever free. It is already achieved. Every being is one with the Absol ute, and is, in fact, the Absolute. What is to be achieved is the destruction of the sense of separateness, which being accompl ished, Moksha is easily realised. As milk poured into milk, oil into oil or water into water, becomes united and one with it, so you become one with B rahman after realisation. Bondage and li beration which are conjured up by Maya, do not really exist in B rahman, as the appearance and exist of the snake do not abide in the rope w hich suffers no change. There is neither death nor birth, neither bondage nor striving for freedom, neither seeker after li beration nor li berated-this is the ulti mate truth (transcendental view). Remove the vei l of ignorance (Avarana), v,:h ich i s hiding your real Svarupa. Destroy egoism, the sense of duality and the sense of separateness. You will shine in your own Glory. You will rest in Sat-Chit-Ananda state. "Tat Tvam Asi" 0 dear readers !
Residuum of Ignorance This is the appearance of accounted for subsists for a
sustainer of liberation in a living state. The sham body and its activity of a released soul can only be by the admission of a portion of ignorance, which w hile even after the rise of knowledge. When the
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influence of fructescent works comes to an end, that appearance also ceases and the liberated sage is merged for ever i n -the i l limitable ocean of pure Sat-Chit-Anand a. The former state i s called Ji vanmukti o r l i beration i n a l iving body; the latter, Videhamukti or l i beration after the destruction of body. The difference between the two kinds of l i beration is rather in name than in essence, for the identity of the i ndividual soul with the Supreme Soul which transcends all difference is vividly manifest in both the states. Even ftuctescent works, the sustainer of the body and its acti vity, do not exist apart from the B rahman in the eye of the released sage. They explain, however, the harmless activity of the perfect sage to the unreleased bei ngs. Vidyaranya, therefore, in his Jivanmukti-Viveka does away with all distinction between the two kinds of liberation. I . Some are of the opinion that Mula Ajnana or primitive
ignorance wh ich is possessed of the two powers of conceali ng and projecting, retains a little of the latter after the rise of knowledge owing to the presence of fructescent works. This degree of the projecting power of prim itive ignorance explains the possibil i ty of liberation in a living body. 2. Otners mai ntain that the i mpression of ignorance which survives the destruction of ignorance is the sustainer of Jivanmukti . That such an i mpression is possible to exist even after the re moval of the substance of which it is the i mpression is proved by the scent of garlic coming out of the vessel even after it has been thoroughly cleansed.
3. A third view is that primitive ignorance itself which exists i n a lifeless state like a burnt piece of cloth is the cause of Jivanmukti .
4. Sarvaj natma Muni , however, throws off the burden of explai ni ng the nature of the portion of i gnorance which keeps up Jivanmukti by distrusting that kind of absolution. He is of the opinion that the moment the essential unity of i ntelligence i s comprehended, the world, including body and its activity, ceases to exist in t �e eyes of the released soul. The sage is no. longer existing in the ordinary sense of the term. He is all Existence and Bliss. Thus there is only one kind of absolution in which everything is reduced to Brahman. -Siddhanta sha
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The Five Sheaths Accordi ng to Vedanta there are the fol l owing five Koshas or Sheaths
1 . Annamaya Kosha
2. Pranamaya Kosha · 3 . M anomaya Kosha 4. Vij nanamaya Kosha 5. Anandamaya Kosha
Food sheath Vital sheath Mind sheath Inte l lect sheath BIiss sheath
A nnamaya Kosha is i n the physical body. Pranamaya, Manomaya and Vij nanamaya Koshas are i n the mental body or astral body. Anandamaya Kosha is i n the causal body or Karana S arira. Thi s is according to Vedanta. Sri Aurobindo Ghosh puts down Pranamaya Kosha in the physical body, Manomaya Kosha in the mental body and. Vijnanamaya and Anandamaya Koshas i n the Karana Sarira. There are three bodies and fi ve Koshas accordi ng to Vedanta. This is more popu lar. ·
Theosophists make distinctions as astral and mental bodies. They have as many bodies as there are planes. They have etheric double in the physical body w hich separates after death and itself dies after some time, . during the ascent of the migrating soul to higher pl anes. S wami Vivekananda classified only two bodies, physical and mental, and ignored the causal body when he preached in the West to make matters easy for foreigners and avoid confusion. The A n namaya Kosha undergoes the six kinds of changes, i .e., existence, birth, growth , modification, decay and death. It is provided with the external Karanas or instruments, not lndriyas through which the soul works. The Pranamaya Kosha contains the physical Prana. It moves the Karanas into action. It causes hunger and thirst. Hunger and thirst are sensations belonging to the Pranamaya Kosha and not to the Atman. The Manomaya Kosha has Sankalpa. Vij nanamaya Kosha thinks, reflects, considers the pros and cons (for and against; to do or not to do; to do this or that), ratiocinates, compares, contrasts, deduces, infers, decides, determines, concl udes and j udges. It has a wide range of activity. The Anandamaya Kosha causes enj oyment, happiness through Pri ya, Moda and Pramoda. These are the three attributes of the
THE YOGA OF WISDOM Anandamaya: Kosha. A desire comes to you as soon as you see a lovely mango. That is Priya. You purchase a mango and have possession of it. That is Moda. You eat it to heart's content. That is Pramoda: The impression left in the Chitta of these processes, action and enj oyment is Samskara. The craving in the mind for furthel repetition of enjoyment of this kind is Trishna. A subtle ·form of desire w hich gives rise to the actual desire itself is Vasana. Vasana is a subtle form. Desire is gross form. That is the difference. Annamaya Kosha is made up of the five quintuplicated elements. Pranamaya Kosha contains the five organs of action and five Pranas. Manomaya Kosha contains the mind and the five organs of sensation, Jnana Indriyas. Vijnanamaya Kosha contains Buddhi and five organs of sensation, Jnana lfldriyas. Anandamaya Kosha is made up of Prakriti or Avidya or Avyakta. Chitta comes under mind and Ahankara under B uddhi. There are no Pranas in Sankhya system. Sankhyas believe that the concurrent activity of mind, Buddhi , Ahankara and the Indriyas is Prana. The five Yoga-Vrittis described in Patanjali's Yoga Sutra 6 of Chapter I, viz., "Pramana-Viparyaya- Vikalpa-Nidra-Smritayah, " correspond to the fi ve Koshas. Pramana corresponds to Annamaya Kosha. Viparyaya corresponds to Pranamaya Kosha. Vikalpa corresponds to Manomaya Kosha. Nidra corresponds to Anandamaya Kosha. And Smriti corresponds to Vijnanamaya Kosha. Each Kosha vibrates and is in touch with a p lane, its objects and beings. The objects and beings of a p lane constantly attack and pour fo!1h their vibrations on the corresponding Kosha. Annamaya Kosha is in touch with the physical plane; the Pranamaya Kosha with . the Bhuvar-Loka, astral world; Manomaya Kosha with Svarga Loka; Vij nanamaya Kosha with M ahar and Janaka Lokas; Anandamaya Kosha with Tapo and Satya Lokas. There is the Annamaya Purusha Of the physical consciousne ss, in Annamaya Kosha; Pranamaya Purusha in nervous consciousne ss of the Pranamaya Kosha; Manomaya Purusha in mental consciousness of the Manomaya Kosha; Vij nanamaya Purusha i n the supra-mental consciousn ess o f the Vijnanama ya Kosha; Anandama ya Purusha in the consciousn ess of the univ�rsal beatitude in the Anandama ya Kosha.
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Panchakosha Para: Atman i s above the Panchakosha s. Atman i s Panchakosha Vilakshana. it is distinct from the five . Koshas. Atman is S ariratraya Vilakshana. It is distinct from the three bodies. Atman i s Avasthatraya Sakshi, the witness of the three states.
Jiva in Sleep Jivatman or reflection of Kutastha Brahman and mind are · inseparably l inked togetlier. The name Jivatman is given to a human being after the development of Vrittis i n the mind. There was no Jiva before the formation of Vrittis. The mind i s enveloped, surrounded and fi l led in with the reflection. Both Jiva and mind roam . about in the sensual objects through the force of Vasana. There i s no Jiva minus mind. In sleep, the Jiva rests along with the mind in the Prakriti or Karana Sarira. The Vikshepa Sakti which is causing numerous mental oscil lations no longer operates in the Jiva during sleep. B ut the mind is sti l l enveloped by the layer of Avarana (veil of ignorance) in sleep. He is i n peace, as he i s destitute of Vikshepa force. He is not dragged hither and thither, l ike a Chinaman who i s pul led around by his fi ve wives. The Karana Sarira is Anandamaya Kosha. So the Jiva enjoys Ananda in sleep. He is the Anandamaya Purusha. He is Prajna. This is one view. D uring sleep, the mind separates from the reflection. The mi nd enters the coronary artery, the Nadi of the heart, thence the pericardium, thence the interior of the heart and finally rests on· the Mukhya Prana. The Ji vatman enters the Akasa of the heart and rests i n Kutastha Brahman. He pl unges himself in Brahman, in Ananda, j u st as one plunges himself i n the Ganga i n Triveni at Rishi kesh. He takes a jolly fi ne dip i n Brahman, his normal Sat-Chit-Ananda Svarupa, j ust as a weary pilgrim enj oys his dip at the holy Prayaga. This is a second view. It is then a natural question : "What principle was waking at the time of sleep which afterwards produces remembrance i n the ego, practical Jiva, that he had nicely enjoyed a sound sleep?" The plai n answer i s that it was the noumenal Self, Kutastha, known as Sakshi. It may be objected that the. remembrance of the enjoyment in sleep by Kutastha cannot account for the remembrance of the enjoyment by Jiva. At the most, it can justify remembrance in Sakshi who was formerly the witness of the three states. This
THE YOGA OF WISOOM objection may be answered on the . ground that there is mutual (Paraspara Adhyasa) false attribution of identity. The Kutastha which is i nexpl icably mingled with Jiva, although different from him, is the i nner sou l , as it were, of Jiva. Consequently, the experience by Kutastha may lead to the remembrance by Jiva who is thought to be one with the former. As soon as you get up from sleep, you say: "I had a very nice sleep last night. I enjoyed it heartil y. There was good breeze. I did not know anythi ng." Now then, what is that principle which says: "I had a n ice sleep," and what is the second principle that says: "I do not know anyth i ng." According to a school of thought the answer is that Avidya Vritti says: "I do not know anything." Accordi ng to the text of Saririka Upanishad: "Jagrat is the state having the play of the fourteen organs,-the fi ve organs of senses, the five organs of action and the four internal organs. Svapna is the state associated with the four i nternal organs. Sushupti is the state where the Chitta is the only organ. Turiya is that state having Jiva alone." There is Chitta in the deep sleep state. There is subtle working of this pri nciple, Wherein all the Samskaras are imbedded, even during deep s leep state. So, Chitta is the principle that remembers the enj oyment in deep sleep state. Srnriti Jnana of the pleasures of deep sleep is attributable to this principle, Chitta, which was all along working i n deep sleep. This is the third view.
Sat-Chit-Ananda NOT TH REE, BUT ONE Sat-Chit-Ananda are the three highest attributes of Nirguna Brahman w hich the human i ntellect can conceive of. Water has got in itself three . essential attributes-l iquidity. sweet taste and lustrous colour. They do not appear as di fferent. They are one. In a candle flame, you w i l l fi nd heat, luminosity and redness. These three attributes coexist in the flame. They are not distinct and different. Similarly, Sat-Chit-Ananda are not three attri butes, but one. They coc:xist in Brahman. They are the Svarupa, essential nature of Brahman. They are l ike Hasta-Pani-Kara-which are the Paryaya Sabdas for hand Hasta, Pani and Kara are not three distinct thi ngs. They all denote hand. In the phenomenal u ni verse you find Asat, Jada, Duhkha. It is to differentiate these three negative attributes of Anatma, three positive attributes are . introduced i n the Atman. Sat i s Chit. Chit is Sat. Chit is Ananda.
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Sat is Ananda. That which is Chit only, can be. Sat-which exists at all times in the past, · present and future and which has no · beginning or end. Chit i s that which i s self-luminous, self-effulgent, self-radiant, Svaprakasa, Svayam Jyotis. At the same time, it illuminates everything. All shine after Him. "Tam eva bhantam, anubhati sarvam, tasya bhasa sarvam idam vibhati: It is the illuminator of all . It , is the source of all knowledge. B uddhi, Manas and Indriyas borrow their l ight from Brahman, j ust as water exposed to the sun, oorrows heat from the sun. -Katha Upanishad. "
Svarupa Jnana The .world does not exist apart from B rahman. Isvara, Jiva and the world are three different aspects of Brahma,n. Svarupa is Isvara. Svarupa is iva. Svarupa is Jagat. S varupa is Mauna or J nana-silence w here there is no sound. Attainment of Jnana i s that state w herein the Jnani o r Jivanmukta experiences that B rahman, Isvara, Jiva and the world are one. He firids Aikya amongst those four classical categories of Vedanta. Nothing exists outsi9e B rahman. The world is Mithya in the sense that it is phenomenal. It is relatively real. The world becomes nothing when compared with the infinite . Brahman. The world is not so real as the unchanging B rahman. From the transcendental or metaphysical standpoint the world does not exist. When compared with the Absolute, the world is l i ke the footprint of a calf. This is Vasishthaj i 's view in his celebrated Yoga-Vasi shtha. When compared' w i th the i n fi ni ty, the world is a dot, a pin 's point, a mu stard grain , a bubble, a s traw floatin g i n a ri v�r. ft i s also Sri S an kara' s view that the . w orld has a phenomenal e x i stence. You will find thi s ,ri nging note throughout his famous Vi vekachudamani .
Nature of Moksha One might argue that if cessation of ignorance be a momentary condition and not a continuou s state, absolution would not be a permanen t end of l ife. In other words, absolution consists i n absence of ignorance ; n o w this absence must be conti nuous; else absolutio n would not be an eternal freedom from . mundane existence. It was a fundamental tenet of one of Sankara's direct disciples, Padmapada who concludes his long argument as regards the nature
THE YOGA OF WISDOM of libera ion wi h he sen ence: "Tasmat tnithya-jnana-nivritti matrah mokshah: Absolu ion consis s solely i n he cessa ion of false knowledge." I may be replied ha he cessa ion of i gnorance by i self d s no cons i u e he chief end of life, because i is nei her absence of pain nor a ainmen of bliss . I is he comple e des ruc ion of worldly pain and he reali sa ion of unceasing bliss ha i s regarded o be he main end of l ife. The cessa ion of ignorance is, no doub , useful i nasmuch as i resul s in he absence of all pain and realisa ion of all bliss. Chi sukhacharya proceeds one s ep fur her. He holds ha no only he cessa ion of ignorance, bu eve n he absence of all pain does no cons i ute he end of life. The summum bonum consis s only in he realisa ion of all bl iss, w hich !s a synonym for Self-bl iss. The absence of pain is an i nvariable an eceden of he mani fes a ion of Self-bliss, jus as he cessa ion of i gnorance invariablv precedes he absence of pain . He es ablishes h i s own heory by he following argumen s. All kinds of human ac ivi y are direc ed owards only one end, viz., a ain men of happi ness. · Now happi ness is he essen ial na ure of Self, which is hidden by pain , he resul of nescience. The absence of pain w hich fol lows he des ruc ion of i gnorance means he absence of ha which pr�ven s he mani fes a ion of happiness, which forms he essence of Self. Thus he absence of pain is cove ed insofar as i leads o he manifes a i o n of supreme bliss. In o her words, he absence of misery i s subordina e o happiness, because i is desired no for i self bu for he realisa ion of happiness. The converse of Chi sukha's heory, ha he absence of pain i s cove ed for i self and he a ainmen of bliss i s subordina e o i , i s un enable. I f he cessa ion of pai n were he sole e n d o f human ac ivi y, he gra ifica ion of sexual appe i e, for i ns ance, would be cove ed by none. Because ha appe i e, if i be oolawful, would be mingl ed wi h numerous cares and anxie ies which none would undergo, had he cessa ion of pain alone been he sole end of he ac ivi y o gra ify i . Bu as he momen ary pleasure accruing from he gra ifica ion of lus , hough fraugh wi h excessive cares, i s sough for wi h the u mos eagerness and vehemence by some bes ial persons, i fol l ows ha hey se before heir eyes, no he
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mere absence of pain, but the attainment of pleasure as the end of their activities. The m omentariness of this pleasure does not in the least show the absurdity of the end proposed by Chitsukha, because pleasure is a positive i de a and consequently admits of i ncrease and decrease. The i ndividual may, therefore, voluntarily suffer a number of anxieties for attain ing a state replete with joy. The vicious person, therefore, sets a high value even upon the momentary pleasure, and hence willingly undergoes all kinds of troubles. If absence· of pain were the end of hur11an activity, variety of miseries would not be voluntari ly accepted, as that ultimate absence of pain cannot outweigh the antecedent miseries. It shoul d not be supposed, however, that Vedanta sets the pleasures of the senses, either lawful or unlawful, as the chief end of human life. For it condemns even i ntellectual pleasures which are finer than those. of the senses, when compared with the immeasurable bliss of the Self. It is the essence of morai weakness that it forms a mistaken estimate of present good, and a want of proportion wi l l , therefore, be found of necessity -between the objects of desire and the means employed to obtain them. The Upanishads teem with the idea that the highest phenomenal pleasures realisable in the world of B rahman are mere drops when compared with the ocean of Self-bliss in which a realised soul fearlessly swims. It is with the view of raising the ideal of happiness that Vedanta l ays so much stress upon the moral culture of the aspirers. The bliss of the Self is noumenal and has no bounds . .Thus the cessation of worldly pain does nqt, like the cessation of ignorance, constitute the chief end of human life: The real isation of pure Self-bliss i s and ought to be the guiding principle of our activity. -Siddhanta Lesha What is the S varupa of Moksha? Sarva D uhkha Nivritti and Paramananda Prapti . What is Sarva Duhkha Nivritti? Removal of . all kinds of pai n , Avidya and its effects, birth and death, etc. What is Paramananda Prapti? Nitya, Nirupadhika, Niratisaya Ananda.
Cosmic Consciousness The four kinds of Mukti and the B hava Samadhi of Bhaktas, and the lower Samadhi s of a Raj a Yogi, and the lower Savikalpa Samadhi s all lead to the experience of cosmic consciousness. The
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ways of approach may be different but the fruit is the same. The experiences are common. Intuition, revelation, i nspiration, ecstasy are synonymous terms. The state of cosmic consciousness i s grand and subli me. It induces awe, supreme j oy and the highest, unalloyed felicity, free from pain, sorrow and fear. This state of cosmic consciousness i s below the absolute consciousness (Nirguna-Brahrnic conscious ness) wherei n the seer, sight and the thi ngs seen, or the knower, knowable and the knowledge, or the subj ect and object become one. In the cosmic consciousness there is yet the seer and the seen. It is doubtless a very subtle experience. It i s divine experience. It is a revel ation of the Karana Jagat. While Brahmic consciousness · is t�e experience of Mahakanina wherein there i s neither time and space nor causation. It is unconditioned, i neffable state. Srutis describe it negativel y: Neti, Neti-not this, not this. " Yato vacho nivartante aprapya manasa saha; Anandam Brahmano vidvan na bibheti kadachana-The mind and speech return back from it baffled, as they are not able to grasp and describe It: the wise who knows the B rahman, which i s bliss, i s not afraid of anything at any time." ·
The pure B rahmic consciousness i s to be felt by the Sadhaka. It cannot be described by words. The language is imperfect. The cosmic consciousness is the experience of B rahrnaloka·. It . is the consciousness of Hirariyagarbha. He who experiences the cosmic consciousness attains many S iddhis. In the West al so people have come to recognise the truth about cosmic consciousness when one rises above body-consciousness. Some have also tasted and experienced this state. In France, Professor Bergson has preached about i ntuition which transcends reason but does not contradict it. B uck describes cosmi c consciousness a s follows: "The cosmic consciousness, a s its name implies, is the life and order of the universe. Along . with the consciousness of the cosmos there occurs an int�llectual enlightenment w�ich alone would place the i ndividual on a new plane of exi stence. To thi s is added a state of moral exaltation, an indescribable feeli ng of elation and j oyousness and a quickening of the moral sense, w hi ch is ful l y as striking and more important, both to the race and the i ndividual, than is the · enhanced intellectual power. With these comes what may be call ed a sense
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of immortal ity, a consciousness of eternal life, not a conviction that he s hall have i t, but the consciousness that he has it already." · The celestial eye usually comes to a Yogi who has advanced much in mystici sm. But it is not possible for evetyone to get this celestial eye, as each and every one cannot be a mystic. .
The world i s a mental creation. It is a mere impression only. There is no world during sleep. You may argue that the world exists for the waking man. Yes, quite true. If there is mind there i s world. What is mind then? I t js a bundle o f impressions, ideas and habits. The two currents, Raga and Dvesha, keep up the l ife of the mind. If these two currents are .destroyed, there is death for the mind. It is call ed Manonasa. That Yogi who has achiev�d Manonasa cannot percei ve the . world. If you can consciously destroy the mind through Samadhi , this world di sappears. Just as you see the rope only w hen the B hranti of snake has vanished, so also you see Brahman only when the B hranti of world and body has disappeared by knowledge of the Self. My dear scientists and students of science may not believe me. Do this practice now. Shut yourself up in a room for a week. Cut off all connections. Observe perfect Mauna (silence) alsu. Then feel how far the impressions of the world remain i n your mind. You w i l l feel that the world is a dream. If you practise for a long time, you w i l l real i se the truth of rpy statement. The world is a solid reality for a man of passion and greed, for a- sensualist who has a gross mind. For a Yogi of cosmic consciousness, there is no world. Cosmic consciousness is the fruit of Chaitanya Samadhi where the Yogi feel s perfect awareness of a supersensuous . plane of knowledge and intu ition. He feels his exi stence "Aham Asmi-1 exist," whereas the Jada Samadhi of a Hatha Yogi cannot bring in thi s superconscious state. It is something l ike deep sleep . There i s no divine knowledge i n this state. The breathing stops completely. The Prana i s fixed up somewhere i n the Muladhara Chakra. Even if _ you cut his leg, he will not feel any pain . There will be no bleedi ng. B ut the Samskaras and Vasanas are not burnt here. Whereas i n Brahmic consciousness, the · Vasanas and Samskaras are fried i n toto. The Jada Sarnadhi cannot give liberation. One can enter i nto Jada S amadhi without any moral perfection, whereas
THE YOGA OF WISDOM cosmic consciousness can never be had without ethical perfection. Note this point very carefu l l y. Absolute fearlessness, desirelessness, thoughtlessness, anger lessness, Brahmic aura i n the face, freedom from Sukha, Duhkha, are some of the signs that indicate that the man has reached the state of superconsciousness. He is always in a state �f perfect bliss. You can never see anger, depression, sorrow in his face. You will fi nd elevation, j oy and peace in hi s presence. Just as a wine-intoxicated man is not conscious whether he has cloth on his body or not, so also the Yogi who is experiencing supracosmic consciousness is not conscious of his body.
. Just as a man doubts whether his old rotten shoe is clinging to his feet or not w hen he is sometimes absent-minded, so also the Jivanmukta doubts whether this body is hanging l ike an old rotten shoe or not. That San nyasin or an Avadhuta, who ful l y rests in Brahman and has n o idea a t all of th� slightest difference between a male and a female, is entitled to throw off hi s Kaupina altogether. That Kaupina wil l drop by itself without his knowledge. . He who is naked should not live in an Ashram or a town or a
village. He should roam about u nknown, not caring for food and cast off his body as a slough in a dunghill or dil apidated house. To live naked i n an Ashram but to have all sorts of comforts, to have disciples and to take interest ih the development of the Ashram does not look nice. It does not appeal to some sections of people at least. That Sannyasin or a Mahatma who wants _ or keeps something for his body in an Ashram can also wear a small cloth along with his Kaupina. This w i l l not go against his realisation, Vairagya and Tyaga. Physical nudity alone will not constitute real Tyaga. Some persons study the description of a Jnani in the ' seventh Jnana-Bhumi ka i n the Yoga-Vasishtha and try to imitate this external state without having any internal development or attainment of that highest state of consciousness. This is a mistake. This is hypocrisy. Some Sannya�ins falsely assume the state of a Jivanmukta. You will fi nd in Kumbha Mela at Haridwar batches of Naga Sadhus, young boys, marching in procession in a nude state. Are these boys Jitendriya-Yogins w ho have perfect control of Indriyas . and the feel i ng of cosmic consciousness?
·
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Yogi Ram acharaka writes about cosmic consciousness in his . book, Raj a Yoga, as fol l ows: "Cosmic consciousness is described as an awareness of the Oneness of Life, that is, a consciousness that the universe is fi lled , with one Life-an . actual perception and 'awareness that the universe is fu l l of life, motion and mind, and that there is no such thing as blind force, or dead matter, but that all is alive, vibrating . and intel ligent. That is, of course, that the Real Universe, which is the essence or background of the uni verse of matter, energy and mind is as they describe. In fact, the description of those who have had glimpses of this state would indicate that they see the u ni verse as all mind-that all is mind at the l ast. This form of consciousness has been experienced by men here and there-only a few-in moments of ' i l l umination,' the period lasting but a very short space of ti me, then fading away, leaving but a memory. In the moment of the ' i l lumination' there came to those experiencing it a sense of ' i n-touchness' with universal Knowledge and Life, impossi ble to describe, accompanied by a joy beyond understanding." He w ho gets the experience of supracosmic consciousness, has the feel ing of 'Apta Kama ' (one who has obtained all that he desires) and feels: "There is nothing more to be known by me." When one has reached the stage to feel the cosmic consciousness the differentiating mind that splits up has vanished. All barriers, all sense of duality, differences, separateness have disappeared. There is no idea of time and space. There is onl y eternity. The J i v a has realised his identity with Brahman. The ideas of caste, creed and colour have gone now. The world completely disappears for him. ·
The subj ect ' S arrradhi ' i s dealt with in detail in my book 'Raja Yoga' and so I wil l proceed to some other important items of this book.
Omniscience A normal Nirvi kalpa consciousness is a very, very rare condition. You may remain in Nirvikalpa Samadhi for some time, but it is extremely difficult to have a normal, Nirguna, Brahmic consciousness always. It was only persons l i ke Sri Sankaracharya and Sri Dattatreya with special lsvara-kala, who had attained a perfect, normal, Nirguna consciousness.
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Brahman is the knower of all. Brahman is the author of all knowledge, He throws light upon all . objects of the world. All shine after Hi m. Brahman i s not a knower i n the ordinary sense of the term. He is not all-knowing but all-knowledge itself. He is not a1 1 -powerful, but power itself. Sat-Chit-Ananda is His Svarupa or essential nature but not a perishable attribute, like the blue colour of a cloth. Ananda is His body. Knowledge is His body. B rahman is all in all. He has neither form nor i nstruments. Omniscience and omnipotence constitute His very nature. Sarvendriyagunabhasam sarvendriyavivarjitam Asaktam sarvabhricchaiva nirgunam gunabhoktricha. "Shining with all sense-faculties without any senses; u nattached, supporting everything; and free from qualities, enjoying qualities." �Gi ta: XIII- 1 4. The head of Brahman is all-bliss; the trunk is all-joy ; right hand is all-satisfaction; left hand is all-contentment. His ears can see; His eyes can hear; His legs can eat; His nails can speak and deliver lecture because, He has knowledge as His Svarupa.
A Jnani does not see the world j ust as you do. He does not see the various objects outside himself. He sees everything in himself. A Jnani through Jnana exercises direct omniscience and has perfect cosmic consciousness. The second method is that a Jnani has i ndirect omniscience through the medium of S amskaras or modifications in Maya. The modifications of Maya are nothing but the totality of the fi nest states of i ndividual minds. The subtle impressions of the minds of all creatures, which have the universe of things for their objects float about in Maya. The fine Samskaras which are lodged in the individual Karana S arira of men are linked in Maya. A Jnani operates through the M ayaic Samskar:as and obtains indirect omniscience.
Ajati-Vada Accordi ng to Sri Sankara,_ Maya i s Anirvachaniya (indescribable), neither Sat nor Asat, neither distinct nor identical. This doctri ne i s being hopelessly misconstrued by many present-day Vedantins who say that · there is no world and . w ho bring forward the analogy of Sasha Vishana (hom of a hare), Vandhya Putra (barren · woman's son), and Gaganaravinda (sky-fl ower) in support of their argument. The theory of
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Ajati -Vada, absolute non-existence of the world like the barren woman's son, is absolutely untenable. It has no place in the domain of phi losophy. No philosopher has accepted this theory. The universe runs on well-establ ished definite Jaws. There is an lsvara who guides the Ji vas and affords the fruits according to . their Karmas (actions). There is positive, rational philosophy which deals logical l y with all cosmological, psychological, theologiCal and eschatological problems. If you take up Ajati -Vada, al l these things w i l l have to go to dogs. This theory has wrought serious disaster i n India. Only a very, very few people, a microscopic minority e;rre fit for Jnana Yoga. For the vast majority, either Karma Yoga exclusively or Karma and Jnana combined or Karma and Bhakti Yoga combined is conducive and suitable. ' ·
This theory of Aj ati-Vada has made several of our young men retire into forests for contemplative life aimlessly. Th�y have not properly understood the Vedanta philosophy and the rationale of medi tation. They have ignored the world totally on the ground that it is absolutely non-existent. They have neglected the proper maintenance of the physical body also. Meditation is a very difficult process. Only those who are able to meditate for twenty-four hours can take up to absolute seclusion for a long time. A novice can hardly keep the mind fully occupied during seclusion. He does not know how to handle the mind and fix it properly on the Lakshya. All physical neglect of the body leads to gradual debil ity. I n the long run, owing to debility and mental lethargy consequent on the irrational seclusion, many Sannyasins become Tamasic, which is mistaken for Sattvic (while Sattva is i ntense activity). They become absolutely useless either for · themselves or for the world. All possi ble care should be taken to keep the body i n a healthy condition. A Sadhaka should take more care than a worldly man, because it is with this instrument that he has to reach the goal . At the same time, he should be quite unattached to the body and be prepared to give it up at any moment. That i s the proper ideal. When he finds that after some years of seclusion he has made no improvement, and that he is passing into Tamas, he should come up to the world, and combine both congenial action and meditation. He can evolve through activity, .but Tamas w ill totally annihilate spiritual growth. Brahman has w ithi n Him self thi s world as a 'movement of ideas'
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or a ' mode of being' without being least affected b y phenomena. You, as a poor, insignificant Jiva, have within yourself a dream world of phenomena and you arc not a bit affected by these changes. When such is the case why not, an omnipotent B rahman have this phenomenal world within Himself? B rahman i s omnipotent. He can d o anything H e likes. H e can b e Nirvikalpa. He can be Savikalpa also. He can be Nirakara. H e can be Sakara also. He can be Nirguna. He can be Saguna also. You cannot comprehend transcendental matters w ith the limited, gross i ntellect in time, space and causation. That is the trouble. You cannot rightly understand the principle: "To be a witness of the mental modifications and at the same time to uti lise mind and body as instruments in the performance of all worldly activities." Why? Because your Buddhi is i mpure owing to worldly attachments and passions. If you are unable to be a witness and at the same time a doer also without being least affected by these actions, you bring down Brahman also to your own . level from anthropomorphic viewpoint and argue that Brahman also cannot be a Sakshi and also . an actor at the same time. You imagine th�t what is impossible for you is i mpossible for Brahman also. This i s simply puerile and anthropomorphic. Brahman is Sarva-Sakshi. He i s the witness of all. He works in all bodies.
Brahmakara Vritti When the Antahkarana is r�ndered pure (Chitta Suddhi) by Sadhana Chatushtaya, this B rahmakara Vritti is generated out of this Sattvic Antahkarana through hearing of the Mahavakyas: Tat Tvam Asi or Aham Brahma Asmi. This is a modification of the . Sattvic Antahkarana-,-Antahkarana Pari nama. To put i n Vedantic terminology, Brahmakara Vritti is Mahavakya Janya, Sattva Guna Karya or Antahkarana Parinama. It is generated through the hearing of Srutis . It is the effect of Sattva Guna. It is the modification of the Antahkarana. Other names for this B r(!.hmakara Vritti are: Akhandakara Vritti, Tadakara Vritti, Atmakara Vritti, Svarupakara Vritti . When this Vritti shines, Vishayakara Vrittis stop. Sadhana consists i n not allowing · the mind assume the Vishayakara Vrittis but in retaining the B rahmakara Vritti, . by fixing the mind in Brahman. Brahmakara Vritti Sthiti is Samadhi of a Jnani. This is achieved through constant Nididhyasana. It i s
·
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this Brahmakara Vritti that destroys the Mula Ajnana (primitive nes ience). Convert Vi shayakara Vritti i nto Brahmakara Vfitti . Brahmakara Vritti is generated when you try during Nirguna meditation to feel infinity by repeating OM mentally.
Fate of Brahmakara Vritti This is the last modification of mind generated by the Vedic texJ. Tat Tvam Asi or A ham Brahma Asmi annihilates primitive ignorance, Mula Ajnana, and through it the whole phenomenal world. This modification, or in other words, the direct .knowledge of Brahman, ought to subside i n order to leave Brahman i n its native secondless character. What is, then the cause of the destruction of that modification? Some answer the question ;:ts follows: Just as the powder of Kataka fruit, when thrown in i mpure water, carries down all its impurity and at the same time goes itself to the bottom of the vessel , so also the knowledge of Brahman, while dispelling the whole phenomenal world, also dispels itself. Others explai n away the difficulty by the following illustration: A drop of water thrown on a red hot iron ball quells the heat of it to a certain extent and disappears of its own accord. In like manner, the know ledge of B rahman simultaneously brings about destruction (destruction here means not the physical annihilation, but the metaphysical non-being) of the whole world and its own nature. A similar ill ustration is given by others i n the solution of this problem. Fire after burning a heap of grass, is extinguished of itself; so the knowledge of B rahman having destroyed the whole world also destroys i tself. In all the preceding views the principle on which the destruction of the knowledge of B rahman takes place is the same, viz., it becomes the cause of its own destruction. To fol low the arguments, in detail, which establish this principle of self-destruction, would be beyond the scope of the present volume. Another view is that the knowledge of Brahman in the form of . the modification of mind is not the destroyer of primitive ignorance and its effects, for ignorance can only be destroyed by the light' of intelligence. The . modification of mind being itself
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non-intelligent cannot destroy that ignorance. The i ntel ligent aspect of the modification is due not on account of its essential intell igent nature, bur is derived from pure Self-consciousness which is the Noumenon of all things. Hence Self-consciousness, which in i ts generic form is not hostile to ignorance as it proves i ts very existence, is destructive to it when it special ly shines i n the modification e mbracing the Absolute or the i ndivisible homo geneous element. This fact may be illustrated by the rays of the sun, which though in their ordinary character i l l umine grass, etc., actually burn them w he n reflected on them through a sun-stone. Again . j ust as fire catching a small shrub bums the whole forest together with the shrub, so the l ight of intelligence or consciousness reflected in the modification of mind destroys the whole phenomenal world, together with that modification which is called the knowledge o f Brahman. ·
In the l ast preceding view the cause of the destruction of the knowledge of Brahman was thought to be the light of i ntelligence il'l its reflected character. The fifth view is that the final modification of mind embracing Brahman, which goes by the name of knowledge, i s destroyed after ignorance is destroyed. In other words, the destruction of the latter becomes the cause of the destruction of the former. Knowledge destroys ignorance. This destruction of i gnorance btings about the destruction · of the modification of m i nd. It is a rule that a direct contradiction subsists between knowledge and i gnorance, . and not between knowledge and the products of ignorance. B ut when i gnorance, the material cause of the world, is destroyed, the world can no longer exist. The knowledge of Brahman as the form of modification of mind fal l s withi n the world and is destroyed subsequent to the destruction of Ignorance. The world does not turn out to be real from its non-destruction by knowledge, i .e., all thi ngs that are not destroyed by knowledge are real ; the world is not destroyed by knowledge; therefore it i s real . This conclusion i s not valid, for the destruction o f the world is i ndirectly ·due to knowledge. The knowledge of Brahman puts down the world-evol v. i ng fiction; the destruction of that fiction leads to the destruction of the world. Thus the knowledge of
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B rahman bei ng at least the indirect cause of the destruction of the world, the latter is undoubtedly unreal . There i s one advantage i n the admission of the rule that a direct contradiction subsists between knowledge and ignorance only. If the k nowledge of B rahman be admitted to be the destroyer of both ignorance and its products, the theory of liberation i n a living state would be i nexpl icable. The perfect sage, on the opposite theory, should be total ly unconscious of his body and mind, since they are annihilated by knowledge. B ut when knowledge is the direct opposite of i gnorance only body, etc., may appear in a semblance state to the released soul in consequence of the presence of fructescent works which sustain his life til l they come to an end. The state of a released soul in a l i ving body is described i n Vedanta with i t s usual fertility of metaphors. Fire burns a piece of cloth, wh ich continues to exist i n a semblance-state for a short time; so a l i berated being seems to have been engaged in a mortal frame unti l fructescent works come to an end.
Nature of a Jivanmukta Let us i magi ne a person, who has realised this ideal state of l ife by treading patiently the practical path of Vedanta. We are not i n a position to fathom his conditionless character, being tied down . by the li mitations i mposed upon us by the forms of our i ntellect. B ut although a young . bird w hich tries i ts w i ngs cannot soar high l ike its parents, it can form a distant idea of the expansive sky in which its parents del ightfully roam. Thus, in the absence of our direct experience, we shall try to form an idea, however remote it may be, of the state of the released soul , by the hel p of our two wings, the scriptures and teacher. There are only two possible alternatives: either he becomes totally absorbed i n B rahman, unconscious of his i ndividuality, or becomes one with God-qualified Brahman-and attains omni science, omnipotence, etc . It should be borne in mind, however, that i n the second alternative the released soul , though possessed of all divine powers, is not unconscious of his essential oneness with ptire B rahman. In the fourth chapter of Brahma Sutras, too, the nature of the released soul is i nquired unto. Jaimini maintai ns that the soul attains complete identity with the . Supreme Being, and hence partakes of all divine attributes such as freedom from sins, old age,
THE YOGA OF WISDOM death, sorrow, hunger, thirst, Satkama, fulfi l ment of desire, Satsankalpa. Audulomi, on the contrary, holds that the soul whose essential nature is Sat-Chit-Ananda becomes totally absorbed in pure i ntel ligence devoid of a ll dualistic conceptions. The fi nal and correct view is a compromise between the preceding two views. Both the antecedent v iews are correct inas much as the released soul being conscious of his essential nature is one with pure Brahman, and being absorbed pri marily in the qual ified B rahman is possessed of all divine powers. This compromise is endorsed by Badarayana with his ow n name. Sankara too agrees with the Sutrakara, for he has not advanced a single objection agai nsr the doctrine of B adarayana. Bhamati and other commentaries explain the Bhashya thereon i n the same spirit, without a note of dissent. For him who knows the identity of Jiva and Brahman, there is no migration, nor even liberation; for he i s already l iberated; the continued exi stence of the world and of his own body appears to him only as an i l l usion, the appearance . of which he cannot remove, but which cannot further deceive him, ti l l the ti me when after the disease of the body, he wanders not forth, but remains where he is and what he i s and eternally was, the first pri nciple of all things, the original, eternal , pure, free Brahman.
Who is a Jnani A full-blown Jnani has a different angle of v1s1on. He has different eyes. He looks upon everything from an absolutely different point of view. Just as the man who wears the green spe<,:tacles, sees green objects everywhere, so also. a Jnani sees the Atman everyw here through his new eye of wisdom . There is absolutely no personal element in him. He has not a bit of selfish interest. The lower sel f is completely annihilated. He l i ves for serving a l l . He feel s the world as his own self. He actually feel s that all i s hi mself only. There is not a single thought o r feeling, for a personal little se lf. He has cosmic visi on and cosmic feeling. Just as the river has joi ned the ocean, he has joined the ocean of bliss, knowledge· and consciousness. He thinks and feels and works for others. A Jnani is absolutely free from wornes, difficulties, troubles, tri bulations, sorrow and anxieties under all circumstances and conditions. He is always cheerful and happy. He is not a slave or
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victim of different moods. He is not moved a bit by sorrow, grief or persecution. A Jnani has got all-round development. He has spotless or unblemished character. A l l S attvic virtues shine in him. He is an embodi ment of mercy, sympathy, love, patience, serenity, etc. He has high excel lence in everythi ng in all qualities. The whole nature has been perfectly unfolded. A l l divine attributes -are fu lly awakened in him. The glory of a Jivanmukta, a liberated sage is indescribable. He is Brahman hi mself. Eight S iddhis and nine Riddhis rol l under his feet. Through Satsankalpa (true resolve), he can work wonders or miracles . Gl ory, glory to such Jivanmuktas who are blessed souls on earth . M ay thei r blessi ngs be upon you al l !
Vedantic Meditation am the A l l . am A l l in all am the I mmortal Self in all am the living Truth · am the li ving Reality am the Witness of the three states (Aham Sakshi Avasthatraya Sakshi) I am the Li ght of lights (Nirakara Jyoti s Svarupoham) I am S u n of suns I am the Existence, Knowledge, Bliss A bsol ute (S atchidananda Svarupoham) I I I I [ I
OM OM OM OM OM
OM OM OM OM OM
OM OM OM OM OM
OM OM OM OM OM OM OM OM OM OM OM OM
Even in Ni rakara (formless) Vedantic meditation of Advaitins, there w i l l be an abstract mental i mage in the begi nning of Sadhana. The abstract image wil l vanish eventual ly. When you medi tate or assert, negate the three bodies and feel the identity of yourself with the i ndwe lling Essence. Deny the names and forms. Do not mi stake either the physical body or the mind, the Prana, the i ntel lect or the lndriyas for the pure eternal Atman. The highest Self is enti rely distinct from these i l lusory vehicles or Mayai'c products . Remember this poi nt wel l . Meditate on the above ideas and bri ng the B hava duri ng work also. You can take up any one of the above formu l as according to your taste. Bring bac� the mind to the poi nt agai n and agai n if the mind wanders. You can rotate the mi nd from one formula to another if the mind runs and finally fix
THE YOGA OF WISDOM it on one formu l a on l y when the mind has become steady. The mind will become now l ike the steady flame of a lamp in a wi ndless place. The one formula al so will drop by itself. You wi ll rest in your own Svarupa, thoughtless state of pure b liss. Samadhi or superconscious state wi l l ensue now. Enjoy the Atmic bliss. Rejoice in the i nner Immortal Self.
Savikalpa and Nirvikalpa Samadhi Samadhi is supercon sci ous state. It is union with Brahman. It i s o f two ki nds: viz., Savi kalpa and Nirvikalpa. When the mind i s fixed in B rahman along with Triputi, viz., Jnata (knower), Jnana (Knowledge), and Jneya (knowable), it is Savikalpa Samadhi. There is recognition of subj ect and object in this Samadh i . I n Nirvikalpa Samadhi, the mind is fixed in Advitiya Brahman without any Tri puti, i .e., the idea of knower, knowledge and knowable and is wi thout recognition of subject and obj ect. Savikalpa Samadhi is a means (Sadhana) to the end-Nirvikalpa Samadhi . Nirvikalpa Samadhi is the fruit or the result of Savikalpa Samadhi . "Though there is a perception o f duality in the Savikalpa Samadhi, inasmuch as there is distinct recognition of subject and object, yet the duality only helps to know the Advitiya Brahman; in the same way as i n an earthen jar there is a perception of clay, though there may be an appearance of a jar. So also, there is the perception of the secondless Brahman alone, even though there may be an appearance of duality." Nirvi kalpa means free from all sorts of Vikalpas. Vikalpas are modifications and i maginations of the mind. There is a difference between the Nirvikalpa state of a Yogi and the Nirvi kalpa state of a Vedantin. The former is concerned with the mi nd. The latter i s concerned with the pure Atman o r Brahman only. If you can fi x the mind for ten seconds on a particul ar obj ect or Murti , it is D harana (concentration). Ten such Dharanas become Dhyana. Ten such D hyanas become a Samadhi. This is according to Hatha Yoga. Prana and Apana that move in the chest and anus respectively are united by Yogic processes · and Bandhas. The united Prana-Apana is driven into the Sushumna Nadi of the spinal canal . The Prana when thus driven draws up the mind also along with the
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Sushumna Nad i . When the mi nd is i n the Sushumna, the Yogi i s shut ou t from the objective consciousness of the world. He i s practicall y dead t o the world, sees various visions and moves i n the Chidakasa. A l i fe in the Atman is not annihilation. Samadhi is not a stone-l ike, i nert state as many foolish persons imagine. When the Self is bound down i n i ts empirical accidents, its activities are not fully exercised and when the l imitations of the empirical existences are transcended, the universal l i fe is i ntensified and you have enrichment of the Self. You w i l l have a rich i nner l i fe. You w i l l have an e xpanded cosmic l i fe and supracosmic life too. When all the Vrittis die, Samskaras and the frame of the mind remai n . Samskaras can only be fried up by the highest Nirvikalpa Samadhi . The moving o f a bullock-cart can be compared to Savikalpa Samadhi . When it stops, it can be compared to Nirvikalpa Samadhi. A s soon as the bulls are detached, then it can be termed as Sahaj a Avastha. The ground floor of a buildi ng represents the life of passion i n the sense-uni verse. The first storey corresponds to Savikalpa Samadhi. The second storey is tantamount to Nirvikalpa Samadhi. The third storey represents the Sahaj a Avastha of a Ji vanmukta. In Savikalpa Samadhi there is Triputi. In Nirvikalpa Samadhi thi s Triputi vani shes. The mind completely merges i n Brahman. The happi ness or bl i ss that you get in Savikalpa Samadhi i s termed Rasas vada. Thi s is also an obstacle (Pratibandha) for further spi ri tual progress. It makes you stop here. It cannot li berate you. You must further march onwards to attai n the highest Nirvi kalpa state w herein lies your whole freedom. A Hatha Yogi draws all his Prana from the different parts of his body and takes it to the Sahasrara Chakra at the top of the head. Then he enters i nto Samadhi . Therefore i t is very difficult to bring him down to objecti ve consciousness by mere shaki ng of his body. Hatha Yogi ns have remained buried underneath the earth i n Samadhi for several years. They plug the posterior nostrils through Khechari Mudra. You can bri ng a Raja Yogi or a Bhakta or a Jnani down to normal objecti ve consciousness by mere shaking of the body or by
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22 1
blowing a conch. Chudala brought down her husband Sikhidhvaja from Samadhi by shaking his body. Lord H ari brought Prahlada down from his Samadhi by blowing His conch. A Bhakta gets B hava Samadhi through Prema of the Lord. A Raj a Yogi gets Nirodha Sarnadhi through Chitta-Vritti-Nirodha (by restraining the mental modifications). A Vedantin gets Nirvikalpa Samadhi through Ni didhyasana. Intuition is spiritual Anubhava. It is direct perception or im mediate knowledge through Samadhi. Professor Bergson has preached about i ntuition in France to make the people understand that there is another higher source of knowl edge than intellect. In intuition there is no reasoni ng process at all . It is Pratyaksha. Intuition transcends reason but does not contradict it. Intellect takes a man to the door of intuition and returns back. Intuition i s Di vya Drishti . I t is Jnana Chakshus . Spiritual flashes and glimpses of truth come through intuition. Inspiration, revelation, spiritual insight come through intuition.
CHAPTER TWELVE
MYSTIC EXPERIENCES Anahata Sounds Anahata sou nds or the melody, are the mystic sounds heard by the Yogi at the beginning stage of his meditation. This subject is termed Nada-Anusandhana, an enquiry i nto the mystic sounds. This is a sign of purification of the Nadis due to the practice of Pranayama. The sounds can also be heard after the utteri ng of the Aj apa Gayatri M antra, "Hamsah Soham a lakh of ti mes. The sounds are heard through the right ear with or without closing the ears . The sou nds are distinct when heard through closed ears. The ears can be closed - by introducing the two thumbs into the ears through the process of Yoni-Mudra. Sit i n Padma or Siddha Asana. Close the ears with right and left thumb and hear the sounds very attentively. Occasional ly you can hear the sounds through the left ear also. Practise to hear from the right ear only. Why you hear through the right ear only or hear distinctly through the right ear? Because of the infl uence of the solar Nadi, Pi ngala. The Anahata sound is also cal led O mkara Dhvan i . It is due to the vi bration of Prana in the heart. ",
Mind Moves After a short practice of meditation you wil l feel that the body gets l ighter in a s hort time, say fifteen or thirty minutes after you have taken your seat on Padma, Siddha or Sukha Asana accordi ng to your taste and temperament. You may be semiconscious of the body and surroundings or may become quite unconscious of the body. There is a great deal of happiness owing to concentration. This · is happi ness resulting from concentration which is quite disti nct from sensual pleasure. You must be able to differentiate these two pleasures through the intel lect, rendered subtle by constant meditation. Dharana and Dhyana have a power to sharpen the inte llect. A trai ned intellect can comprehend subtle, phi l o sophical and abstruse problems beautifully well . A discipl ined intellect that can carefu l l y differentiate the happiness derived from concentration and that of sensual objects w i l l naturally run daily to enjoy this kind of new happiness derived from concentration. Such
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a mind wi II loathe at sensual pleasures. There will be extreme detesting abhorrence and positive aversion to objects. It is but natural. Because this kind of happin�..-ss is more lasting, sustained, self-contained and real as it emanates from the Atman. You can distinctly feel that the mind is moving, that it is leaving i ts seat on the brai n, and that it is trying to go to its Yatha Sthana (original seat). You know that i� has left its old groove and now passi ng in the new groove, in the new avenue. As a result of meditation, new channels are formed in the brain, new thought-currents are generated, new brai n-ce lls are formed. There is a transformed psychology al together. You have got a new brai n, a new heart, new feel ings, new sentiments, new emotions and new sensations.
Feeling of Separation During the course of meditation, one day you will feel that you have separated yourself from the body. You will have immense joy mi xed with fear; joy in the possession of a new li ght, astral body ; and fear owing to the entry in a foreign, unknown plane. At the very outset, the new consciousness is very rudimentary in the new plane, just as in the case of a pup with newly opened eyes on the eighth or tenth day on the pbysical plane. You will feel that you have a light airy body and will perceive a rotati ng, vi bratory, limited, astral atmosphere with illumination of golden lights, objects, bei ngs, etc. You may feel that you are rotating or floating in the air and consequently there is the fear of a fall. You wi l l never drop down ; but the new experience of subtlety generates novel feelings and sensations in the beginning. How you leave the body, remains unknown at the outset. You are suddenly startled, when you have completely separated, and when you enter into the new plane, sometimes with blue-coloured sphere around, sometimes with partial i l l um ination mixed with darkness , while at other ti mes with extremely bri ll iant, golden, yellow, diffused illumination. The new joy is inexpressible and indescribable in words. You will have to actually feel and experience it yourself (Anubhava). You are unaware of how you left the body, but you are fully conscious of your returning. You gently feel as if you enter smoothly, gently through a s mall hole or fine tube with an airy, light body. You have an airy, ethereal feeling. Just as air enters through the crevices of a wi ndow, you enter with the new astral body back i nto the physical body.
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I th i n k I have expressed the idea lucidly. When you have returned, you can clearly di fferentiate the l i fe in the gross and subtle planes. There i s an intense cravi ng to regain the new consciousness and to re mai n i n that state al ways. You are not able to stay for a period of longer than fi ve to ten mi nutes in the new region. Further you can, i n the begi n ni ng, hardly leave the body at will, through si mple w i l l i ng. By c hance, through efforts, you are able to separate from the body once i n a mont,h i n the course of Sadhana. If you plod on with patience, perseverance and firmness, . you w i l l be able to leave the body at w i l l and stay i n the new plane for a longer period w ith the new subtle body. You are quite safe from i dentification with the body. You have made conquest of Deha-Adhyasa, only i f you can leave the body at wi l l and stay in the new region for a longer time, say for two to three hours. Your position w i l l be quite secure then only. The practice of Mauna and steady regular meditation is absolutely necessary to achieve this end. After conti nuous, hard practice, you will be able to separate yourself from the body very frequently. As soon as you si lence the thoughts and calm the mind, the mental habit of slipping from the physical body supervenes automatically. There will be no difficu lty the n.
Materialisation You first separate yourself from the body; then you identify yourself with the mind and then you function on the mental plane, with this fi ne body j ust as you do on thi s physical plane. Through concentration, you ri se above the body-consciousness; through medi tati on, you ri se above mind; and finally through Samadhi , you become one w i th B rah.man. These are the three i mportant exerci ses of Antaranga Sadhana in the achievement of Kaivalya, the fi nal beatitude.
Astral Journey You can , by mere w i l l i ng alone, travel to any pl ace you like with the astral body and there materi ali se by drawi ng the necessary materi als either from Ahankara or the uni versal storehouse, the ocean of Tanmatras. The process is very, very si mple to occulti sts and Yog i ns who know the rationale, the detai led tec hnique of the various operations, albeit i t seems to be extraordinary to poor mundane creatures with di verse emotions, passions and attachme nts. Thought-reading and thought-
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transference too can be qu ite easil y performed by those who can function with the astral body. Concentrated mental rays can penetrate opaque walls, j ust as X-rays pass through opaque body. This is one of the S i ddhi s. S'iddhis are not the goal of life. Do not entangle yourself in these S iddhis which mar your further spiri tual progress. Shun them entirely. Continue your Sadhana and stop not ti I I you reach the goal. ·
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Lights in Meditation Various ki nds of li ghts manifest during . meditation owing to concentration. In the begi nni ng, a bright, white l ight, the size of a pin's poi nt wi l l appear in the forehead i n Tri kuti which corresponds tentati vel y to Aj na Chakra of the astral body. When the eyes are c l osed, you will notice different coloured lights such as white, yel low, red, smoky, bl ue, green, mi xed colour, flashes l i ke lightni ng, l i ke fi re , burni ng charcoal , fire-flies, moon, sun and stars. These lights appear in the mental space, Chidakasa. These are all Tanmatric lights . Each Tanmatra has its own specific colour. Prithvi (earth) Tanmatra has an yel low light; Apas (water) Tanmatra has a white light; Agni (fire) Tanmatra has a red light; Vayu (air) · Tanm atra has a smoky light; and Akasa (ether) Tanmatra has a blue l ight. Yellow and white li ghts are very commonly seen. Red and blue lights are rarely noticeable. Frequentl y there is a com bination of white and yellow l ights. In the begi nni ng, smal l bal l s of white light float about before the eye. When you first observe this, be assured that the mind is. becom i ng more steady and that you are progressing in concentration. After some months the size of the l ight will i ncrease and you will see a ful l blaze of white light, bigger than the sun. In the beginning these lights are not steady. They come and disappear immedi ately. They fl ash out from above the forehead and from the sides. They cause peculiar sensations of extreme joy and happi ness and there is an intense desire for a vision of these l ights. When you have steady and systematic practice of two or three hours ' meditation at a stretch, these lights appear more frequently and remain steadily for a long time. The vision of the l ights is a great encouragement in Sadhana. It impel s you to stick steadily to meditation. It gives you strong faith in superphysical matters. The appearance of the li ght denotes that you are transcending the physical consciousness. You are in a semiconscious state when the light appears. You are
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between the two planes. You must not shake the body when these lights mani fest. You must be perfectly steady i n the Asana. You must breathe very, very slow ly. O ne whos� food is moderate, whose anger has been control led, who ·· has gi'ven up all love for society, who has subdued his passions, who has overcome al l pairs of opposites (Dvandvas) and who has given up his egoism, gets a vision of a triangular light duri ng medi tation. Sometimes duri ng meditation you will see a bri l liant dazzl i ng light. You w i l l find it difficult to gaze at this light. You will be compel led to withdraw your mental vision of this light. This dazzling l ight is the light emanati ng from the Sushumna. You w i l l see some forms in the lights--either the lustrous forms of Devatas or physical forms. You will see your lshta Devata or tutela y deity i n handsome dress with four hands and weapons. Siddhas, Rishis and other Devatas appear before you to encourage you . . You wi II fi nd a huge col lection of Devatas and celestial · ladies with various musical instruments in their hands. You will also see be�utiful flower-garde ns, fine palatial bui ldings, rivers, mountains, golden temples, sceneries so lovely and picturesque as cannot be adequately described. The experiences vary with different individuals. What one man experiences, may not be experienced by another man. Many erroneousl y bel ieve that they have real ised the Self when they get these experiences stop their Sadhana and try to move in the society to preach a new cult and religion in the · name of Loka-sangraha. This is a serious blunder. This is not realisation at al l. These are s i mple encouragements from your lshta Devata to convince you of a higher spiri tual J ife and push you on in your st�ady, systematic and incessant practice of meditation with zeal and e nthusiasm. You w i l l have to ignore these things and drive them away. You must not care a bit for the vision of l ights. You must fix . your attention qn the Lakshya, viz., the goal, Brahman. These visions appear in some persons w i thin a few days, while i n others w i t h i n s i x or n i ne months. I t depends upon the state of the mind and degree of concentration. ·
Dazzling Ligh Sometimes, during meditation, you will ; get very powerful and �azz l i ng l ights, bigger than the sun. They are white. In the
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beginning, they come and disappear quickly. Later on, they are steady and they become fixed for ten to fifteen mi nutes accordi ng to the strength and degree of concentration. For those who concentrate at the Tri kuti, the liglit appears in the forehead; while for others who concentrate at the Sahasrara Chakra, the light manifests itself on the top of the head. The light is so powerful and dazzling someti mes that you have to withdraw yourself from looking at it and break the meditation. Some people are afraid and do not know what to do and how to proceed further. They come to me for i nstructions. I tell them that this is a new sensation, which they have not hitherto experienced. By constant practice, the m i nd engaged i n concentration will be used to it and the fear will vanish . I ask them to go on with the practice. Some people concentrate at the heart, some at Trikuti , and some at the Sahasrara Chakra. It is a question of personal taste. It is easy to control the mind by concentrat ing at the Tri kuti. If you are used to fi x at the Trikuti, stick to it always. Do not make frequent changes. Steadiness is very necessary. The beings and objects with whom you are i n touch during the early period of meditation belong to the astral world. They are s i m i lar to hu man beings m i nu s a physical overcoat. They have desires, cravings, love, hatred, etc . , ju st as hu man bei ngs have. They have a fi ne body. They can move about freely. They have powers of materialisation, dematerial i sation, multiplying and clai rvoyant vision of an inferior order. The lustrous forms are higher Devatas of mental or higher planes, who come down to give you Darshana and encourage you. Various Saktis manifest themselves i n lustrous form s. Adore them. Worship them. Do mental Puja as soon as they gi ve you Darshana. Angels are beings of mental or higher planes. They also appear before your mind's eye. Sometimes, you wi l l feel an i nvisible help, possibly from your . Ishta Devata when you are actually pushed from the physical body into the new plane. That invisible power assists i n your separating from the body and going above body-consciousness. You will have to mark carefully all these operations. Do not waste your time in looki ng at these visions. This is only a curiosity. These are all encouragements to convi nce you of the existence of super-physical, metaphysical realities and the solid existence of Brahman. Dri ve these pictures. Fix your m i nd on the
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goal, Lakshya. Advance. Proceed seriously and energetical l y with your medi tati on. As soon as you retire for sleep, these l ights manifest themselves without any exertion on your part. Just when you are going to transcend the physical consci ousness, j ust when you are getting drowsy, these l i ghts appear without your effort. In the morning, before you get up, in the transi tional stage of half sleep, half waking, you w i l l get again these l i ghts by themselves without any attempt. · ·
Sometimes duri ng meditation, you w i l l see an infi nite, blue sky, ethereal space. You w i l l see yourself in the blue space as a black dot. Your form w i l l appear in the centre of the l i ght someti mes. Sometimes you w i l l notice highly vi bratory, rotati ng particles i n the l ight. You w i l l see physical forms, hu man beings, chi ldren, males, females, R i s hi s with beards, S i ddhas and lustrous Tejomaya forms also. Vi s i ons are either subjecti ve or objective, your own mental reactions or of real i ties on finer planes of matter. Uni verse consi sts of pl anes of matter of various grades of density. Rhythm ical v i brations of Tanmatras in various degrees, give rise to the formation of vari ous planes. Each pl ane has its bei ngs and things. Vi sions may be of these things or bei ngs. They may be purely i magi nary. They may be the crystall isation of your own intense thi nking. You must di scrim inate in Yogic practice. Reason and com mon-sense must be used all throughout.
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APPENDICES
APPENDIX ONE
QU ESTIONS AND ANSWERS . QUESTION : Is it advisable to meditate after meals at night? A man in the worl d has to be busy i n the evening hours in attending to household affairs, meeting friends, etc. ANSWER: After a sumptuous meal, generally people feel drowsy. You may i magine that you are meditating, but it may be purely sleep in a sitting posture. If you follow the rules of Mitahara and take meals before 7 p.m., you can sit and meditate from 9 to I 0 p.m. Evening meditation is absolutely necessary. You must adj ust the ti me i n such a way that after attending to all important items, you must be able t.o spare at least an hour for eveni ng prayers and medi tation. Meditation before going to bed at night will gi ve you considerable good results. Spiritual Samskaras will increase. You w i l l have no bad dreams . The divine thou ghts will be in the mind even duri ng sleep. Q.: Can a man of my type at the age of 45 enter i nto the Hatha Yogic practices? A.: Yes. You must have si ncerity, earnestness, faith, vigour and vitality. You ·must proceed cautiously, step by step. Overexertion should be avoided. The Yogic practices will give you success if you observe Mauna, Mitahara and practice of Japa and meditation. Success in Asana, Pranayama, etc., depends upon the constitution. There are different exercises to suit different people. Q.: How can I get ful l vigour and vitality at this stage? A.: Become a true B rahmachari from this very moment. Be establi shed i n mental and physical B rahmacharya. Take Sattvic food. Develop Vai ragya. Study my book "Practice of Brahmacharya." You will fi nd practical exercises there for keepi ng up Brahmacharya. Q . : Is it really possible to enter i nto Nirvikalpa Samadhi and be free from the worldly affairs? A.: It is quite possible if you have mastery over your mind and Indriyas and if you have regular and systematic meditation in the midst of worldly activities. You should also be perfect in ethical culture and possess all di vi ne qualities. Study of Vedantic texts, a proper guide, good S amskaras are all necessary. You must remain
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in the world with Akarta-Bhava. You must be unattached l i ke the water on the lotus l eaf. Q . : Can I take Sannyasa (renunciation) when I have my wife and young children. Is it not a si n to avoid these dependants when they are in helpless condi tion? · A . : If you have intense and real Vairagya born of Viveka and if you have strong Ti tiksha and Mumukshutva, you can take S anny asa. Sruti s declare : "Renounce the world on the very day you get Vai ragya.'' If you have Moha for them, you cannot get any spi ritual progress, as your mind wi l l be always thinking of your wife and children . Therefore destroy Moha first. Possess real Vairagya. When you are in the world, do a lot of Japa and medi tation. When you advance a bit, go to a far off place, l i ve in seclusion, see the strength of your mind and see if you have sti l l any Moha lurking i n your m i nd. Then you can take S annyasa. You w i l f get success. Before you renounce, see that your wife and children are well -provided. Otherwise they wil l constantly be thinking of you und you w i l l be drawn by their mental currents. When you l i ve with her, teach her the importance of Sannyasa and ask her to do Japa and meditation. She must lead a spiritual life. Then only she wi l l not interfere with you after your S annyasa. Bhartrihari , Gauranga, S adasi va B rahman and others deserted their wives. After their Sannyasa they did not think of their wives. Did they not attain Self-real isation? Did any sin or curse touch them? Even if you do not provide your family wel l , you can take S annyasa if you have rea l Vairagya. Just isolate yourself from your fami l y and see whether your children are looked after or not. Rama Tirtha left his wife with two young children without providing anything. B u t his elder son became an engi neer and the other a professor. Have perfect faith i n God. Q . : Whenever I try to concentrate on the Trikuti, I get sl ight headache. Is there any remedy? A . : If concentration at the Trikuti produces headache, have Nasi kagra Dri shti , gazi ng at the tip of the nose. This w i l l relieve you. Do not struggle with your mind. Take rest for half an hour: Sti l l if you feel headache, close your eyes and then meditate. Q . : Can I practise Pranayama by consulting books? A . : Yes. You must read the instructions several ti mes and understand the technique thoroughly. If you have doubts, consult some experienced men and then begin the practice. Have regular and systematic practice. If you want quick progress, you must
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fol low m y instructions given i n the first two chapters of my book "Science of Pranayama." You can gradual l y i ncrease the perrod of Kumbhaka to two m i nutes. In the advanced stages of practice, it will be better to have the help of a Guru. Q.: The m i nd is fickle in me and the flesh is weak. Attempts at concentration are sometimes successful but often · end m disappointment. Kindly help me: A.: First of all take care of your health. Become · strong by proper food, mild exercises of Asana and Pranayama. Observe Brahmacharya. Then destroy desires, womes, anxieties, buildi ng castles and vicious qual ities. Lead a contented life. Reduce your Vyavahara. Li ve in spiritual atmosphere l ike Haridwar, Rishikesh, Uttarkasi, etc. Observe Mauna for ful l three months. You can easily control the m ind. ·
Q.: I am practising Sirshasana for ful l half an hour. I am not able to cure wet-dreams. What is the fault in my Sadhana? How can I destroy passion? A.: The practice of Sirshasana for a long time will doubtless help you a l ot in destroying your passion. Your thoughts also should be pure. You should not entertain any l ustful thoughts. Have Satsanga. Take Sattvic food. Do not look at ladies. Develop Vairagya. Control the Indriyas. A l l these instructions shoul d be followed if you want sure success. If you happen to e ntertai n lustful thoughts, i f you l i ve in the company of l ustful persons, and if you do not take S attvic food, how can you destroy your passion even if you practise Sirs hasana for ful l three hours? Q.: What is the difference between J ivatman and Paramatman? A.: Jivatman is i ndividual soul, reflection of Brahman in Avi dya or the mind. Paramatman is S upreme Soul, B rahman, or the Atman. From the empirical viewpoint, Jivatman is a· finite and conditioned being while Paramatman is i nfinite, eternal, Sat-Chit-Ananda Brahman. · In essence Jivatman i s identical with Paramatman when Avidya is destroyed. ·
Q.: I feel burning sensation i n my eyes and mind is restless, and so I am unable to meditate. Is there any effective remedy? A.: It is a sign to show that your system is heated. Apply Amalaka oi l or butter for fifteen m i nutes i n the early morning and then take a bath. Take S attvic food. Whenever you feel thirsty, drink a cup of M isri Sharbat (water i n which sugar-candy i s dissolved). Take a cup of pure cow's milk i n the early morning
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and at night before goi ng to bed. Regulate your food. Take bath twice a day. That wi l l cool the system. Q . : How to get peace? A . : Destroy all desires. and control the mind and Indriyas. Have study of scriptures and intense meditation. Observe Akhanda Mauna. Live in seclusion. Q.: I took Sannyasa recently. Can I have a Parivrajaka life or should I l i ve i n seclusion? A . : For a new student of Sannyasa, strict seclusion for six years with intense Sadhana is essential. It depends upon the condition of your m i nd. In Parivraj aka l ife, you cannot have a regular and systematic Sadhana. There is distraction everywhere. For some years you should be away from the sensual objects. Strict seclusion will bring i mmense benefit. Once i n a year . for a few days you can go to a place for change of climate. If you find that you are enteri ng into Tam as, you should combi ne active service. For a beginner, Nishkama Karma ·for two or three years wil l prove good. Then strict seclusion. Occasionall y you can have a Parivraj aka life for a few days to test the strength of your mind. Q . : One Vritti arises from the mind: "Let me renounce the world and practise Yoga i n seclusion ." Immediately another Vritti arises: "Let me remain as a Grihastha and practise Yoga like Janaka." How can I know, Swamiji, whether this particular Vritti comes from the Atman or the mind or the Buddhi? I am perplexed. A . : An ordinary worldly-minded man can hardly hear the i nner voice of the Atman. He cannot have pure thoughts of Vichara also. Any Sattvic thought emanates from Sattvic B uddh i . In the case of worldl i ngs all thoughts emanate from the mind only. He who does Nishkama Karma Yoga for a long time and has purity of mind, begins to entertain thoughts of God. Generally the m i nd raises various sorts of curi ous, fantastic thoughts. It deludes all . It may pretend to do Vi chara. When it comes to practical life, it will do nothing. If there is a strong determination i n you to concentrate and meditate, and if you put it i nto actual practice for months steadily, and if the longing for Darshana of God becomes keen and acute, then alone thi n k that al l these kinds of thoughts proceed from your Sattvic B uddh i . When the Vritti emanates from the Atman, there w i l l be only one defi nite Vritti . There will be no antagonistic thoughts i n the next moment.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Q.: I am retired from service. I have fixed up my sons in service. What should I do now to lead a life of a Yogi? A.: Moha i s very difficult to be eradicated. I t i s a �trong weapon of Maya. It is Moha that creates the idea of ' mineness' and the feeling of egoism . It creates infatuated love for children. You have not destroyed Moha in your heart of hearts. Cut off all connections with your wife , children, friends and relatives. Do not write letters. Go in for a Yatra and visit Mahatmas in the places of pilgrimage. Develop Vairagya. You have found out from your own experience that you cannot get the supreme peace and happiness in the worldly l ife. If you really have no Moha and if you have a strong desire to become a Sannyasin then become a Sannyasin . . Lead a glorious life of renunciation and attain Self-real isation by the practice of Yoga. From the experience of your Yatra, select a Guru who will guide you, and fol low his instructions implicitly. Q.: How to start spiritual Sadhana with wil l ? A.: You will have to purify your m i nd and Chitta by getting rid of desires. When a desire is checked, it is transmuted into wi l l . A strong and pure irresi sti ble will i s the dynamic aspect of Brahman. You will have to apply your w i l l by repeated assertions. This is pure Vedantic Sadhana . . Kumbhaka, Pranayama, Asana, etc., are not necessary. This method is suitable for men of bol d understanding and sharp intel lect. Apply your will for getting Self-realisation.
·
·
·
Q.: As per your suggestions with a great wil l -power if I say: -"I am a King," will I become a King? In the same way, if I say: "Aham Brahma Asmi," how can ! 'become Brahman? A.: Besides saying: "I am a King," you will have to prepare yourself. You will have to gather a large number of soldiers and win the battle. In the same way, if you utter: "Aham Brahma Asmi," you w i l l have to destroy the enemies (Kama, Krodha, etc.) and do spiritual Sadhana. Then you will doubtless become Brahman . Q . : Why should w e devote time for prayers and meditation? God is not desirous of our prayers. A.: The goal of l i fe is God-real isation. A l l our miseries, birth, death, old age, etc., can end only through God-realisation. Realisation can be had through deep meditation and sincere prayers. There is no other way. Therefore every one should
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practi se meditation. God prompts us to do prayers, because He i s the Preraka (i nspirer) of o u r m ind. Q.: When I was at S warga Ashram, you told me that we should never hesitate to take food even from Mohammedans. But our Sastras teach us that we should not accept eatable thi ngs from sinners whose thoughts and actions are ful l of evil . Mohammedans eat beef. Why should we accept eatable things from their hands? A.: If you think that a man is full of vicious deeds, do not take the food from his hands, even if he happens to be a Brahmin by birth. If you think that Lord S iva or Hari dwells even i n an evil-mi nded man, a Mohammedan, a Chandala (a low caste man), then you can eat from anyone. Your Drishti is very limited now. You are a begi n ner i n the spiritual l ine. Your heart is not expanded now. You have a strong anti-Mohammedan i nfluence i n your heart. Move with h i m very closely. Serve him with great devotion. Do spiritual S adhana and meditation. Gradually all differences will disappear from your m ind. Then and then alone you are fit for advanced courses of spiritual practices. Offer the food to God fi rst and then take i t as Prasad. Thus you can purify and spirituali se any kind of impure food. Q.: I read your writings i n ' My Magazine' : "Woman is only c:1 rotten leather bag containing urine, pus, wool, blood, . etc." How can we condemn and depreciate womankind. I think that there i s nothi ng unholy i n this u n iverse. · .A . : Too much study and a l i ttle practice bring bewilderment. To
induce Vairagya i n the passionate people, I place such a negative mental picture of women. Reall y women are manifestations of S akti . Yes, all is holy. A l l is sacred. Al l is beautiful . This can be real ised and felt only by advanced people in the spiritual line. Beginners can merely repeat these formulas l i ke a parrot. Their experience, Qri shti and mode of Sadhana are entirely different from the expressions of realised persons; Beginners should be very carefu l , . as they wil l be easily duped by Maya. Q.: How can I give up anxieties and worries? A.: It is very easy. Destroy desires arid fear. Enter i nto deep · meditation. S top building castles i n the air. Do not expect or hope. Do your duty and leave the rest to God. Q.: Can I have the mental Santi and fee l the spiritual vibrations if I come to Rishikesh? A.: Yes. You can. Wh�n you come here, come alone. lf you
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS come here with your company of friends, you will create the same worldly atmosphere with all sorts of talks. Come and have Darshana of Mahatmas. Hear their spiritual i nstructions. Live with them. Observe Mauna and practise concentration and meditation. Then only you will enjoy the peace. Q.: I am suffering from cold and running in the nose from my boyhood. I had an operation for deflected septum i n the nose two years ago with no i mprovement of the situation. Can you suggest any Yogic exercises? A.: If y.ou practise the easy comfortable Pranayama regularly, . the cold and the difficulty i n breathing will disappear. Practise S irshasana, for a long time. It is the best exercise for cold. Occasionally do Bhastrika Pranayama. . Q.: Last eight years I have spent my days i n studying the Vichara S agara, the Panchadasi, the Gita, the Upanishads, etc., and · I have mastered them in a way. But I do not feel the oneness of life in all . Are the scriptures for mere study alone? · A.: M ere study of the Vichara S agara or the Panchadasi cannot bring in the experience of pure Advaitic consciousness. Vedantic gossiping and dry discussion on scriptures cannot help a man in feeling the unity and oneness of l ife. You should destroy ruthlessly all sorts of i mpurities, hatred, jealousy, envy, idea of superiority and al l barriers that separate man from man. This can be done by incessant, selfless service of h u manity with the right mental attitude. Practical Vedanta is rare in these days. There are dry discussions and meaningless fights over the non-essentials of religions. People study a few books and pose themselves as Jivanmuktas. Even if there i s one real Jivanmukta, he i s a great dynamic force to guide the whole world . .He can change the destiny of the world. The present-day Jivanmuktas are mere bookworms. Many i magine that the)' can become Jivanmuktas by a little study of Laghu S i ddhanta Kaumudi and Tarka. Oneness of life can be· had only by Self-real isation through constant spiritual practice. S tudy of scriptures can help you a bit, but it cannot make you a Jivanmukta. Q.: The mistakes and sins in my life are countless and the l i m i t o f m y ignorance is i nfinite. I have n o t learnt Sanskrit. Kindly l et me know if I can tread the path of spirituali ty. A.: Ignorance is a mental Kalpana (imagination). Thou art an embodiment of wisdom . . When the veil drops, you will shine i n your own Svarupa. Allow the Vasanas and egoism to pass. Break ·
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the clouds. Behind the clouds, there is the luminous sun. Behind the m ind, there is the Self-radiant Atman. Purify yourself. Destroy the evil Vrittis . Plod on i n the spiritual path. You have taken thi s l i fe for this purpose only. For Self-real isation and spi ri tual path, Sanskrit is not at all necessary. You wi ll h ave to understand the theory and essence only. All Sanskrit books are rendered into English and other languages. Be not troubled on this score. Sanskrit may help you a bit. That is all . If you find time, you can learn the al phabets so that you can read some Stotras, Gita Slokas �nd Upan ishads. Q.: Someti mes due to cold or some such reason one of the nostri l.s gets clogged and the breath does not flow clear and there comes some difficu l ty i n doing Pranayama. What shall I do to make the breath flow freely? A . : Insert the end of a thread i nto the nostril . You will begin to sneeze. This will clear the passage. Or lie down for fi ve minutes on the left side if the right nostril is clogged. This also will relieve. Do four rounds of B hastrika Pranayama. You wil l be all right. Q . : When and how will I be able to see Him i n every l i vi ng bei ng, nay e ven i n i nanimat� objects? ·
A . : You can, by spiritual Sadhana. You can have that this very second or after ten years or after some births. It depends upon the condition of your heart, m i nd, degree of purity, earnestness and Sadhana. Q.: I am observing fast on Ekadasi days. I hear that fasting will cut short the life of man. Is it a fact? A . : Certain l y not. By fasti ng, the body, m i nd, Prana and nerves will be renovated, vivified. All i mpurities will be destroy,e d. One can develop easily Sattvic qualities. M i nd becomes calm and peacefu l . All the diseases can be destroyed by fasting. If a glutton takes to fasti ng, he w i l l find it difficult. A man of M i tahara will take great pleasure i n fasting. He can l i ve for a longer period. Constant conti nuous fast for a long period should be avoided. Gradual practice is necessary. In the beginning observe fast for a day i n a month . Then once i r1 1 5 days. After some time, you can fast once a week. Q . : I am a m arried man. I have a great desire to become a Sannyasin. I am disgusted with the family l i fe. I recently lost my chi ld. My wife too is a pious lady. Suppose I take Sannyasa, can I l i ve with her and do spiritual Sadhana?
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS A . : Now you are not fit for Sannyasa though you might have a mi nute trace of Vai ragya due to the death of your child. After Sannyasa you should not l i ve with your wife . You should not even remain even in your own place as Moha wi l l be l urking i n a corner of your m i nd. Old worldly S amskaras w i l l be ever waiting to dupe you at every moment. Maya is powerful . You w i l l have to spend all your energy in wagi ng gueril l a war against old S amskaras and temptations. You wil l have no energy for spiritual practices. Though you may think that you possess a high degree of Vairagya and that your wife also is pious, yet you should be far away from her. You should not even think of her. That is real Sannyasa. What is the meaning of taking Sannyasa and living with your wife and chi ldren? How can you destroy Moha, worldly Samskaras and Vasanas.? Q.: In spite of my thorough search, I am not i n a position to find out a real Guru. Can you suggest one? A.: To fi nd out a real Guru who may si ncerely l ook after the disciple is a · very difficult task in this world. It is quite true. But to fi nd out a true disciple who m ay sincerel y fol low the i nstructions of a Guru is i ndeed a very, very difficu l t task in this world. Have you thought over this point? Do not use your reason too much i n the selection of a Guru. I f you fai l to get a Guru of a first-class type, try to get one who is treadi ng the spiritual path for some years, who has right conduct and other virtuous qualities.. and some knowledge of the scriptures. J ust as a Sub-assistant Surgeon will be able to attend on a patient when the Civil Surgeon is not avai lable, so also the second class type of Guru w i l l be of great help to you in the absence of a first-class Guru. Q.: Is it absolutely necessary to do Nishkama Karma Yoga for Self-realisation. If so how it should be done? A.: Yes. You cannot u nderstand and realise the spirit and object of Vedanta if you neglect to practise N ishkama Karma Yoga for the eradication of i mpurities of the mind. Nishkama Karma Yoga gi ves you Chitta Suddhi and eventuall y culminates in the realisation of unity of Self. Serve everyone with intense love, without the i dea of agency, without expectation of fruits, reward or appreciation. Feel that you are only Nimitta (instruments) in the hands of God. Worship God ih the poor and the sick. Have no attachment to any place, person or thing. Keep up the mental poise amidst the changes of the world without consideration of success or fail ure, gain or l oss,
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pleasure or pai n. Have the m i nd always rooted i n the Self amidst activities. Then you will become a true Karma Yogi. Work elevates when done in the right spirit. E ve n if people scoff at you, beat and kill you, be indifferent. Continue your Sadhana. Q . : I read your article in ' M y Magazine' : "Fly from the company of worldly-minded persons. Those who talk of worldly affairs wi l l pollute you. Your m i nd w i l l waver. Run, run, run quickly to · solitary places l i ke Rishi kesh. You will be safe in the spiri tual path." M ay I come to you and l ead a life of a Sannyasin? A.: Do not be hasty. Thi n k well . Look before you leap. Mere emotion w i l l not do i n the spiritual l ine. The above i nstructions are for those who were already doing some kind of Sadhana. They will have to go in for seclusion for advanced practices. It will be better for beginners l i ke you to perform Nishkama Karma Yoga for three years i n the world by disinterestedly serving the sick and the aged persons. S uppose you remain with me as a Sannyasin, have you got the real strength of heart to face your mother when she weeps bitterly before you with a broken heart? Will you stick to this l i ne if your father comes and threatens you? Wil l you be u naffected in your m i nd if a young l ady tempts you? Wil l you be steady if you are affected by a disease? Have you prepared to sacrifice .this body and life i n the cause of Truth? Have you understood the glory and importance of Sannyasa and sec l usion? Have you got an idea of the difficulties that S an nyasins have to face? Are you prepared to go from door to door and l i ve on B hi ksha? How wil l you spend the whole day and n ight when you live in seclusion? Just decide pl l these points before you come to me. If you are sure that you are fit for Sannyasa, you can �orne here. I w i l l serve and help you wel l . I w i l l take care of your spiritual welfare . I will make you· a King of kings. There i s nothing so pleasant as the l ife of renu nc iation. It i s best s uited for quick Self-reali sation. Glory to all Sannyas i ns ! Q . : Is i t absolutely necessary for · a Sannyasin to wear coloured . cloth? A.: The glory and l iberty of a S an nyas i n can hardly be i magined by householders. If there is c hange inside the mind there must be change outside also, Wearing the ochre-coloured cloth, the orange robe, i s very necessary for one who has a changed m i nd. Due to· the force of Maya or habit. when the senses go to the objects of e njoyment, the moment you look at the coloured cloth you wear, it
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
24 1
will remind you that you are a Sannyasin. It w i l l give you a kick and save you from vicious actions. It has got i ts own glory and adv_a ntages. A real S an nyasin only can c ut off all connections and ties and completely get rid of Moha. His friend and relatives wi l l not trouble him. The robe i s of great service when one appears on the platform for preaching. It has got its own sanctity in the minds of Hindus. Common people will receive the ideas from Sannyasins.
APPENDIX TWO
GARLAND OF YOGA A Real Guru Here are the characteristics of a real Guru. If you find these qualifications in any man accept him at once as your Guru. A real Guru is one who i s a Brahma Nishtha and a Brahma Srotri . He has ful l know ledge of the Self and Vedas. He can remove the doubts of aspi rants. He has equal-vision and a bal anced mind. He is free from Raga, Dvesha, Harsha, Soka, egoism, anger, lust, greed, Moha and pride. H e is an ocea n of mercy. In his mere presence one gets Santi and elevation of mind. In his mere presence all doubts of aspirants are cleared. He is absolutely fearless. He does not expect anything from anybody. He has exemplary character. He is ful l of joy and bl iss. He i s in search of real aspirants. Sal utations to the Lotus-feet of a Guru. I fully bel ieve in a real Guru. I have great adorations for a Guru. My heart longs to serve his lotus-feet for ever. I believe that there is no purifier more powerful than the service of a Guru in removing the impurities of the mi nd. I ful l y bel ieve that the only safe boat that can take us to the other shore, Immortality, is th<;! constant company of a Guru. Indi a, the sacred land of Advaita philosophy, the land which produced Sri S ankara, Dattatreya, Varna Deva, and others who preached oneness of l ife and unity of consciousness, is ful l of sectari ans now. What a great pi ty it is ! What a lamentable state you see now ! You can even count the grai ns of sand on a seashore. But it is difficult to count the number of sects that are prevail i ng now i n India. Every day some kind of -ism is croppi ng up like mushroom to swell up the discord that is already present here. Hopeless di scord and disharmony reign everywhere. Fighting i s goi ng on between different sects. Di ssensions and spl its, suits i n courts, . skirmishes, hand t o hand fi ghts and scandal-mongering prevail everywhere. There is neither peace nor harmony. The disciples of one Guru fi ght with the disciples of another Guru in the streets and market-places. Lord Chajtanya, Sri Guru Nanak, Swami Dayananda, were all cathol ic, exalted souls. A l l their teachi ngs were subl ime and Universal. They never wanted to establish sects or cults of their
GARLAND OF YOGA own. Had the y l i ved now they would have wept at the actions of their followers. The fol lowers only make serious mistakes and blunders . They have not got a large heart. They are petty-minded. They create dissensions, party-spirit and troubles. A spiritual leader should never establish a sect of his own. He should have a far-reaching insight. Founding a sect means creation of a fighti ng centre to di sturb the peace · of the world. He does more harm than good to the country. He can have a branch of . Sanatana Dharma Sabha with broad, Universal principles and doctrines that will not conflict with the pri nciples of others and that can be universall y accepted and followed by all . Some like Jada Bharata, Varna Deva, Dattatreya, Sadasiva Brahman and others led the life of a Paramahamsa or Avadhuta. They made no Ashrams. They gave no platform lectures. They made no disciples. And yet their names are handed down to posteri ty, and present generations do take these people as Adarsha Purushas (ideal , spiritual personages). They have created such an indel i ble impression on the m i nds of people by their exemplary lives. They were spiritual giants indeed. The vi brations of a real ised soul do purify the whole world even if he remains i n a far off cave in the H i malayas. His very life i s a l i vi ng assurance for others for God-realisation. His life i s an embodiment of teaching. . He need not speak at all. S uch i s the glory of a real Guru. Young aspirants should always l i ve under the guidance of a perfect Guru for some years . .They should be under subjection. They should fearn perfect obedience and humili ty. If they have their own ways, they will become arrogant and conceited. They do not make even an iota of progress i n spirituality. Aspirants complain that they could not find a Guru . Can a patient gauge the merits of a doctor as soon as he enters the consultation room? Ignorant disciples who have not even an iota of experience in the spiritual path at once begin to test and examine their Guru. They make some hasty wrong concl usions and i nferences from external appearances and ways of l i v ing. Paramahams as have mysterious ways of l i vi ng. Even though you live with them shoulder to shoulder for twelve years, you can hardly understand their hearts and depth of knowledge . Jnana and spiritual experience s are quite internal states.
Pseudo-Gurus Beware
of pseudo-Gu rus.
They
are
knocking
about
in
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abundance in these days. They wil l exhibit some tricks or feats to attract people. Think that those are fal se impostors who are proud, who are roaming about to make disciples and to amass money, who talk of worldly matters, who speak u ntruth, who boast of themsel ves, who are talkative, who keep company with worldly people and women, and who are luxurious. Do not be deceived by their sweet tal k and lectures. A young man with a little training i n harmonium and a little power of speech ascends the platform, poses for an Acharya or a Guru, i n a couple of years publishes a few rubbish pamphlets of" songs, and establi shes a sect of his own . I ndia still abounds i n profound stupidity and any man can have his own followers i n a short ti me. A young man with some training in Asana, Pranayama, shuts hi mself up i n an underground cell with some eatables that are secretly kept to last for forty days. He eats some roots which destroy thirst and h unger for some days. God only knows what he is doing in the- cel l . He sleeps in the cell . He then comes out with pretended S amadhi. This i s a little practice of Titiksha only. His Samskaras and Vasanas are not destroyed. He is the same worldly man. He knocks about h ither and thither to collect money and make disCiples. He poses for a Guru. lgno.r ant worldly people are deceived. People will lose faith even i n real Gurus who enter into real S amadhi on account of the foolish actions of such posing young men who have no responsibility and who have not understood the gravity of Yoga and spiritual life . Samadhi i s certai nly not meant for demonstration on public roads. Samadhi i s a sacred act. It is no j u gglery o r lndrajal am . This practice has become contagiou s . M any young men have started this show or feat. Beware of these Yogic Charlatans, dayl ight dupes, posing Gurus, who are infectious· parasites and burden on society, who are a menace to the coun try, and who are vultures that prey on the resources of the ignorant and the credulous. Som e make disciples to get services when they become old. They do not care for the i mprovement of their students. You should not accept these people as your Gurus. A man at Calcutta exhibited the feats of drinking pure Nitric acid, swallowing nai l s , and chew i ng glass pieces. People were ' struck with wonder. He l icked the nitric acid l i ke honey. But he was a purely 90inmercial man. He made a demonstration of these
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acts to any one who could pay Rs. 30/-. Can there be any iota of spirituality or real Yoga where business transactions are made? I leave this for the readers to judge. There i s nothi ng really extraordinary in these feats. It i s mere S aminohana Vidya or Indrajalam . There are some herbs to destroy the evil effects of acids and glass-pieces. Living for four hundred years · also is not a sure criterion of advanced spirituality. Through I ndrajalam one can erect a splendid palace with electric lights and other fittings. One man used to emit light from his anus. He had this Siddhi: Possession of S iddhi s is not a sign of Self-real isation. I do not deny the true powers of a developed Yogi . Sri Dattatreya created a woman through his Yogic powers. Queen Chudalai created a false husband to test her husband. Sri Jnana Deva, Tril inga Swami, Sadasiva Brahman had tremendous Yogic powers. But there are some Yogic charlatans who deceive the public with some fal se exhibi tions for getting money, name and fame. A real l y spiritual man will never demonstrate any S iddhi . B ut he may at times ex hi bi t some powers just to convi nce his students. A Hatha Yogi gets himself buried i n a box underneath the ground. He does this by plugging the nostril s through Khechari Mudra. This is no doubt a difficult Kriya. He gets Jada Samadh i . This is a state l i ke deep s leep. The Samskaras and Vasanas are not fried by this Samadh i . He does not return with superintuitional knowledge. This cannot gi ve Mukti . This is a kind of feat only. This is not a sign of spirituali ty. People use this Kriya for acquiring money, name and fame. When they come out of the box they stretch their hands for money. They make transac�ions before they enter the box. Tie the hands and legs of a man with iron-chains and shut h i m i n a room. Before you l ock the door h e will stand before you. Get inside the room. He w i l l be again there. No doubt this is very, very astonishing. It is a mere trick. It is a kind of Jalam. Some people can sit on a plank studded with sharpened nai l s and can chew snakes l i ke chocolates. If you pierce a long needle in their arms no blood will come out. Some can draw water from stone. A real Yogi and a Yogi, charlatan can perform all th�se things. A real Yogi does through his Yogic power but a charlatan does through some trick or Jalam. The public wi l l take a man to be . a Guru only if he exhibits some Siddhis. It is a serious m istake. They must not be
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over-credulous. They will be easi ly duped by these Yogic charlatans. They must use their power of discri mination and reasoning. They m ust study the ways, habits, nature, . conduct, Yritti , Svabhava, antecedence, etc., of the Gurus and test their knowledge of scriptures, before they come to any defi nite conc l usion. I strongly resent at the actions of hypocrites who pose for Gurus and Acharyas and move about in making disciples and i n 'collecti ng money. You all will also agree with m e on this poi nt. They are the pests of society. These charlatans m ust be thoroughly eradicated from the soil of India. They are doing great havoc and terrible harm to the people of I ndia. They are creating a very bad impression in the minds of the people of different countries. India is losing its spiritual glory on account of this posing business. Drastic steps should be taken i mmediately to nip this serious malady and destroy it to the root. Gurudom busi ness has become a pandemic disease. It has become very contagious. Many have taken to this Gurudom busi ness as an easy means of decent l i velihood. Poor ignorant ladies and ignorant young · men are seriously exploited by these Pseudo-Gurus . . .M ay the glorious India abound with real Gurus l i ke Sri Sankara and Dattatreya ! May the glorious India be absolutely free from Pseudo-G urus. May the spiritual leaders try their level best to unite the various sects and cults. Let them not establish new sects. May the glorious India al ways keep up the prestige of a spiritual country with sai nts, seers, Yogi ns and Sannyasins with Tyaga, Vairagya and Self-reali sation as the goal.
The Ashram Life It is quite true that an Ashram that is run by a selfless Yogi and a realised Jivanmukta, is a dynamic centre of spirituali ty. It is · a centre for the spiritual upl ift of thousands of people. Such .centres are needed in all parts of the world. Such Ashram can do i mmense spiri tual good to the country. But such ideal Ashrams with ideal spiritual heads to run the i nstitution are very, very rare nowadays. Money is col lected in variety of ways. Some portion is spent i n some useful purposes. The rest goes to the comforts of the founders of the Ashram. Gosalas are not really meant for the protection of the cows. The real inner motive is for getting pure fresh m i l k in the early morn i ng for their own use. M i l k is not shared equally with the workers of the Ashram. It is the sole monopoly of the president
GARLAND OF YOGA Saheb. Hence trouble comes in the Ashram. The workers feel the wide gulf of separateness which the founder keeps between himself and the i nmates. Where is the feeli ng of unity or oneness even in smal l trifling matters? After getting name, fame, an Ashram and a few disciples, the Ashram founders forget their original motto: "Sarva Bhuta Rite Ratah." The founders of the Ashram, in course of time, become unconsciously slaves of worship and Pooja. Maya works i n various ways. How can a man, who has the Bhava that he should be worshi pped as an Avatara, serve the public? Workers also are petty-mi nded. They fight amongst themselves for trifl i ng matters and disturb the peaceful atmosphere of the Ashram . Where i s peace in the Ashram then? How can outsiders w h o visit the Ashram for getting Santi , enjoy peace there? The founders of the Ashram should l i ve on dai ly Bhiksha from outside. They should lead an ideal life of absolute self-sacrifice, a life of an ideal si mplicity like the late Kal i Kambli Wal a of Rishikesh who carried water-pot on his head for the Ashram and who lived on Bhiksha from outside. Then only they can do real good to the people. Founders of the Ashram should never appeal for the funds to the public. It brings great discredit to those who tread the path of God-reali sation .. The habit of begging destroys the su btle, sensitive nature of the intel lect and those who appeal for funds frequentl y do nor know what they are exactly doirig j ust as the lawyers and those who visit the houses of i l l-fame have lost the discrimi nati ve faculty of finding out truth from untruth, purity from impurity. Begging ki l l s Atma BaJa. It produces wrong impressions on the minds of the public. Where is freedom for a beggar? People · have l ost faith on the founders of the Ashram. If anything comes by itself without asking, it can be accepted. Then you can do some work independently. Householders who conduct Ashrams can appeal for funds. It is very difficult to get good workers for the Ashram. Then why do you bother about in buildi ng Ashrams when you have neither money nor workers nor dynamic, spiritual force? Keep quiet . . Do meditation. Evolve yourself. M i nd your own business. Reform yourself first. How can you help others, when you yourself grope in darkness, when you are blind? How can a b l i nd man l ead another bl i nd man? Both will fal l i n the deep abyss and break thei r legs. There is such a heavy loss and utter rui n for spi ritual progress by building an Ashram for name and fame.
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In concl usion, I have to poin t out that though we have not got at present the first-class type of Ashrams, yet there are many good Ashrams of the second-class type that are run by noble, Sattvic souls, who do some service to the country i n a way or other. They bring out valuable philosophical books and train students in the practice of meditation and Yoga. They render selfless services. They disseminate their message of love, service and peace. My . silent homage and salutations to these rare, exalted, selfless soul s ! They should be carefu l about name and fame if they want real spiritual good.
Advice to Sannyasa Students It may be urged that the i gnorant, seeing that their obligation i s not discharged, cannot consistently turn Sannyasins. This i s not right for there can be no obligation incurred before one enters the order of a householder. If even he, who is not competent to perform Karma, can be under an obl i gation, then the undesirable result w i l l fol low viz., that all w i l l remain under obligation. The order of a San nyasin is enjoined even on one i n the householder's order, as an aid to the realisation of Atman. You can say : "How can the world go on if all go to take absolute seclusion, and if all take to S annyasa?" The obvious answer is that all cannot leave the world. Even if they remai n i n a secluded place for a few days they w i l l feel l i ke fis h out of water. They w i l l go back soon to their own place�. Ordinary people have got much attachment to w ife, children, money, home and various sorts of passions. They cannot l eave the world at all . It is only those who have got Chitta-Suddhi , Vairagya and discipli ne of body, mind and Indriyas and the four means of salvation that can pull on i n seclusion. They only can be benefited. Even supposing all people leave the world w hat is it for you? Isvara i s all-powerfu l . He c a n fil l th world with new creation. D o not bother yoursel f much on this score. A neophyte has to pass through a state of preliminary discipline which strengthens his character and enables him to rise above selfi shness of every kind. When he volu ntaril y embraces the life of a Sannyasin, it is not that he u ndervalues the needs of the particular society to which he belongs to or of the l arger world. All that this new l i fe means is a new attitude. His aim now is to reach the H i ghest Reality, He has passed through the lower stages of spiritual evolution a nd w h i le he appe'ars to be not toil i ng with the rest of his brethren , it should not be forgotten that he exercises an .
GARLAND OF YOGA irresistible infl uence for good upon them . That itself is the service he is rendering to the society around him and that is the highest and the most benefi cent service that one could do to humanity. He may seem to be hidi ng from the public vi sion but his is the "sightless song of the lark." Baseless too is the charge leve l led against Sannyasa that it is liable to lead one astray. The very fact that the aspirant has renounced the world argues an amount of Self-restrai nt which wi I I stand foursquare to all the temptations of the flesh. Li berty and not l i bertinism (Yathakamatva) is his rule of l i fe. Some hypocri tes say : "We have given colouring to our mi nds. We need not change the clothes." I do not be lieve these men. Even the famous Mandana Mi sra, Avatara of Brahma, who fought with Sri Sankara became a Sannyasi . He was known as Suresvaracharya. The great Rishi Yajnavalkya became a Sannyasi . Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was i nitiated into the order of Sannyasa by Swami Tota Puri . It is only those who have cravings, passions, Moha, Asakti ahd who are timid, dread to change the cloth and bri ng forth fal se, ingenious and unsound arguments . It is a pity that even some great persons of the present day who are treadi ng the spiritual path have not recognised the glory and importance of changing the cloth. The idea of pure Ni vritti can never get entry i nto the brain of a man who i s full of Karmic tendencies. Swami Sankaranandaj i has written that a Sannyasi should be a man of Nididhyasana Pranayama (who takes sole refuge in meditation only on Brahman ). He can do bathi ng, Saucha and B h i ksha only. It is a pity that many people think that meditation is onl y wasting time. When you have attained Chitta Suddhi, you must give up all works ruthlessly. You must not hesitate at al l . You must go in for complete secl usion. Work is a menace for a man of Chitta Suddhi. I t stands in the way of his attaini ng Jnana. Study very carefully Sri Sankara 's writings. He very strongly impresses on thi s point. Work causes Vi kshepa and induces Dvaita Bhava and Triputi . When you do Karma there is every likelihood of your downfall in course of time by contact with Vishaya. Gradual ly Vairagya wanes away. Smriti or Smarana of B rahman disappears. Reality of the world creeps in. Work is Avidya or ignorance. It is an enemy of Jnana. Have strong determination and iron-w i l l . Never think of returning back home, after taki ng up to Nivritti Marga. Look before you leap. Have courage, fixity of mifld and defi nite purpose
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in life. Be not w averi ng. Are ybu ready to give up al l possessions incl uding body and l ife? Then alone come to me. Then alone take to Ni vritti Marga and embrace Sannyasa. Thi nk thrice before you come . to defi nite concl usions. Thi s is not a rosy path as you im agi ne. It is fu ll of thorns. It is beset with countless difficulties. B e humble, patient and perseveri ng. Never care for Siddhis or quick awakening of Kunda l i n i . I shall serve you. Be not troubled. Be not anxious. I am thy servant always. Be noble-minded. Mere emot ional bubbling w i ll not hel p you much. Some young men have returned back to their homes. Difficulties are many iri thi s path. A man of patience, perseverance, i ron-w i l l , alone can tread this path. This path can make one K i ng of kings. This path i s easy for a man of determination, patience, endurance, self-sacrifice, dispass ion, discri mi nation and strong w i l l-power. Those w ho want to take to secl usion and Ni vritti Marga should observe Mauna (vow of si lence), non-mi x i ng and discipl i ne of the I ndriyas, m i nd and body, whi le l i ving i n the world. They should trai n themsel ves to laborious ·hard l i fe, coarse food, sleeping on the grou nd or a rough cloth without pillows, wal ki ng barefooted, without using umbrel las. Then they can bear the rigorous austerities of an ascetic life. They should give up timidity and shyness in getting alms. Those who want to have an independent l i vi ng should bri ng some money for their expenses . Times have changed now. It is difficult to get B h i ksha for Sannyasins. There is a cry for work everywhere. Even Sannyasi ns should keep money now for the mai ntenance of Sannyasa itself. They must have econon !cal i ndependence. Then only they can get on smoothly w i th their spi ri tual S adhana. By continence, devotion to Guru, and steady practice, success i n Yoga comes after a long time. The aspirant should always be patient and persevering. Aspirants who take up to Niv! ; lti Marga generally become lazy, after some time, as they do not know how to uti l i se their mental energy, as they do not keep up a daily routine, and £!S they do not fol low the i nstructions of the i r . Guru . They get Vai ragya but they have no experience in the spiritual l ine. They do not make any spi ritual progress in the end. I ntense and constant meditation is necessary for entering i n to Samadhi . The student and the teacher should J i ve together as father and a devoted son or as a husband and wife with extreme sincerity and devotion. The aspirant should have an eager, receptive attitude to
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imbi be the teachings of the master. Then only the aspirant will be spiritual ly benefited, otherwise there is not the least hope of the spi ritu<\1 life and spiritual progress of the aspirant and complete regeneration of his ol d Asuric nature. A long stay in caves makes a man Tamasic and unfit for energetic, acti ve service to humanity. A recl use is afraid when he sees a big crowd or a bevy of ladies. A little sound throws hi m out of balance. A recluse in forest will have to test his real i nner strength by occasional visits to the plains and services to humanity. Proper understanding of Maya Vada is very necessary. The present deplorable condi tion of I ndia is due to lack of right understanding of Maya Vada. If some batches of Sannyasins occasionally come out from their retreats and work in the world vigorously in a systematic way according to their capacity, temperament and taste, we will have i ndeed a new and glorious India ful l of new religious life, spiritual and moral upheaval . A thorough overhau ling of the organisation of this fourth order of life, Sannyasa, is an imperative nec essity. Mere social service in some form or other and a little Katha or preaching here and there will not bri ng about satisfactory results. A drastic form of service is indispensably requisite. How active was S ri Sankara himself, the propounder of Maya Vada! Look at the M agnani mous work turned out by hi m ! He preached against selfish Karmas only. He was not agai nst selfless actions. He hi mself was a wonderful Karma Yogi . Let us al l follow in his footsteps and his- ideal and remove the wrong impressions that are formed in the minds of our countrymen. It is only Sannyasins bold, who have worked wonders in the past. They can do wonders now also. They are whole-timed free men. They are fu ll of energy, concentration, strength, purity and capacity. They have spiritual and ethical powers. They can undoubtedly thri l l and electrify the whole world in the twi nkli ng of an eye. Glory, glory to such exalted Sannyasins, children of Sri Sankara and Dattatreya, the real spiritual kings and spi ritual teachers of the three worlds.
Health and Yoga What is heal th? It is that state of equil i brium of the three humours of the body viz., Vata, Pitta, and Kapha (wind, bile and phlegm ) wherein the mind and all the organs of the body work· in harmony and concord, and man enjoys peace and happi ness and performs his duties of life with comfort and ease. It is that condition in which man has good digestion and appetite , a normal
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breathing and normal pulse , good quantity of pure blood, strong nerves, a calm mind, a free movement of the bowels, normal state of uri ne, rosy cheeks, shining face and sparkl ing eyes. It is that state in w hich a man jumps, si ngs, smi les, laughs, whistles and moves about with joy and ecstasy. It is that condition in which he can thi nk, speak and act properly. A l i fe with good health is a great blessi ng indeed. What is the earthly use of wealth and possessions if a man cannot eat well on account of di sease of the stomach, if he cannot wal k on account of rheu matism or paralysi s, if he cannot see the beautiful sceneries of nature on account of cataract or any defective vision. Life without good health is a mi serable condi tion, even if he is the lord of the whole earth . Man gets good health on account of good Karmas done in his previous birth. He who has done meritorious services in his prev ious incarnation, he who has shared what he had with others, he who has hel ped the poor and the needy, he who has done worship, medi tation and Yogic Kriyas in his previous birth enjoys sound health in this birth . The law of causation is i nexorable and unrelenting. What is the hi ghest thi ng w hich a man can achieve in this world? It is Self-real i sation. What are the advantages or benefits of th is Self-realisation? Why should we attempt for Self-real isation at a l l ? The attai nment o f Atma-Jnana or reali sation .of the identity of J i va and Brahman alone can put an end to the wheel of birth and death and i ts concomitant evils of disease, old age, pain, sufferings, miseries, worries and various sorts of troubles. It is Atma-J nana, alone that can give unal loyed eternal bl iss, supreme peace, highest k nowledge and immortality. The next question is, why should we have good health? We should have good health to achieve the four kinds of Purushartha viz .. Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha (righteousness, wealth, desires and l i beration). Wi thout good health you cannot achieve anything. Without good health you cannot perform any service or N i shkama Karma Yoga. Without good health you cannot pray and medi tate . Without good health you cannot do any Asana and Pranayama. That is the reason w hy scriptures declare that this body is a boat to cross this ocean of Samsara. It is an i nstrument for doing vi rtuous deeds and attaining Moksha. An aspi rant should be free from Adhi and Vyadhi , diseases of the m i nd and the body, if he wants to do Yoga and attain
GARLAND OF YOGA know ledge of the Self. According to the science of Yoga all physical diseases take their origi n from the diseases of the m ind, from an unhealthy state of mi nd. The Western psychologists also corroborate this fact. They say that the diseases of the body are attributable to hatred, anger, worry, depression, etc., wh ich corrode the mi nd and react on the body and bring about various sorts of physical di seases by destroying the cel l s of the body. A student of Karma Yoga should have an elementary knowledge of Raja Yoga, Vedanta, physiology, Ayurveda, famil y medicine and hygiene. Then he w i l l be able to turn out more real work easily. He can have a knowledge of the l aws of the mind, and also the nature, habi ts and ways of the mind. He w i l l be i n a position to keep a calm and heal thy mind always. No one can work smoothly with a ruffled mi nd. A ruffled mi nd disturbs the three humours of the body and brings about al l sorts of diseases i n its turn. This i s the theory of Ayurveda w hich quite tal l ies with the theory of Raja Yoga and the theory of western psychologists. He can have an understanding of the laws of the universe and the operation of the world by having a knowledge of the Sankhya phi losophy of Kap i l a Muni . At every second various ki nds of vibrations from the various kinds of objects of the physical universe outs ide enter the mind of a man, and produce various kinds of intluence. Body i s a part of the universe. So is m i nd. What is called world is only mi nd, Mano-matram Jagat, Manah-kalpiwm Jagat. The mind of a man is affected by the thoughts and opi nions of others. There i s pressure of thought from outside. A l l people entertain personal thoughts and the Karma Yogi should have immense strength to act agai nst these outside thoughts . He shou ld have courage. He should have patience and perseverance. Even if he fai l s twenty ti mes , he must stick to his work with determination and leech-l i ke tenacity, as inine patience and adamantine w i l l . Then only he w i l l have real, sangu ine success in the end. He wi l l come out of the field with spi ritual l aurels, Atmic victory and Atmic Svarajya. Good physical health can be achieved and maintai ned by observing rigidly the laws of heal th and the rules of hygiene, by taking wholesome l ight, substantial , easi ly digestible, nutritious, bland food or Sattvic diet, by inhal i ng pure air, by regular physical exercise, by daily cold bath, . by observing moderation in eati ng and drinki ng. Good mental health can be attained and maintained by Japa, meditation, Brahmacharya, practice of Yama, Niyama and
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right conduct, right th i nki ng, right feel ing, right speaking and right action. Atmic Yichara, change of thought, relaxation of mind by dwe l l i ng the m i nd on pleasant thoughts, mental recreation and the practice of cheerfu l ness, etc.
Yogic Powers Ti betan Yogi can die for a day or two and then come to life agai n. They can sit naked i n deep snow and keep warm by special vibratory breathings. They can sit cross-legged on a rug, and then ri se several feet into the air with no visi ble means of support. They can dri nk deadly poi sons witho_ut sufferi ng hurt. They can exercise hypnotic infl uence over men and women. They can l ive beyond the natural term of l i fe. Rasputin, w hom the Russian nobles so many t i mes fai led to k i l l , was said to be a Yogi . History tel ls of others just as amazi ng. A l l the above facts are testified to by many famous wi tnesses of all nations. But the Yogis claim stil l stranger powers . Rel iable travel lers state that they have seen Yogic experts in Tibet bri nging corpses temporari ly to l ife. The process is a terrible one. The body, the first night after death, is taken to a graveyard. At midnight the Yogi 'pl aces crushed grai ns of wheat in its mouth, mutters a secret i ncantation, puts his lips to those of the dead, breathes i nto its mouth· and then lifts it by the hands. It is said to rise from the ground and dance, exh i biting tremendous physical power for a set number of m inutes. Unless the Yogi can during these mi nutes seize and hold it sti l l , muttering i nto its mouth the spe l l s which release it agai n i nto the hands of death, the raised s"piri t w i l l wander the earth for as many years as there are minutes sti ll unexpi red of i ts unholy resurrection. During those years it becomes a vehicle for the dev i l , and goes about doi ng evi l and causing sorrow. The Yogi s never rise corpses in this way except to gai n from them some secret, and it is a rul e of the Order that the secret must be one which w i l l benefit l i vi n g people in some spiritual way. This is cal led as "Preta Vidya." Yogi s can i nduce a trance-l i ke state which is i ndistinguishable from death. The body grows cold and stiff, and can be actually brui sed. Yogis practise this art for two reasons. One i s that they claim, w h i l e the body is quiescent to be able to send their spirits anywhere in the world, obliterating di stance in a few seconds: and what the spirits see-they can pass through solid obstacles-the Yogi s remember when they awake. The other reason is that the
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body rests as completely w hen in this trance as if it were bei ng bathed in the wel l of life itself. Thus old age is al most permanentl y staved off. Yogis claim to l i ve several centuries and to keep strong and healthy al l the time due to periodic trances of this sort, when the wastage and wear of age is all made good. But the Yogis even ha,ve not discovered the secret of eternal l ife. I f doctors could discover the Yogis' secrets the whole science of Western medic i ne might be revolutionised. For even the most incredulous people agree that there are some thi ngs known to the Yogis, that make them able to perform almost miraculous physical feats. A Mantra Yogi can wal k over fire without any hurt by repeati ng some incantations which coo the fire. He can stop the train by cooling the boiler. He can put his fingers i n boil ing oi l . By eati ng Ni m-leaves for some time anyone can have immunity from the bites of cobras, scorpions, etc. If you give up salt for si x or twelve years the bite of cobras and stings of scorpions w i l l not have any effect on you. A Mantra Yogi can allow poi sonous snakes to bite him and yet can remain alive . A Yogi can read a book even if his eyes are bli ndfolded with a towel. He can tie a big stone of 80 l bs. to his eyelids. A Yogi can transfer his disease to a pillow or a wi ndow. Sri Sankara and Ramdas transferred their fever to a pi l l ow. The pi l l ow was shiveri ng. M i l arepa, Tibetan Yogi transferred his disease to a door. The door trembled. A Yogi can wal k over water. He can remain unseen; can ever remain as a young man; can play with s nakes; can tame wild tigers and elephants. He can s hut �p the. mouths of bears and l ions. He can give life to dead people. Tulasidas and Hastamalaka did this. He can pass from one body to another. S ri Sankara and Ti rumoolar did this. A Yogi can stop his heart and the pulsation of any artery at his w i l l . He can bury himself for months underneath the earth. He can al low the body to be cut without allow i ng any drop of blood to come out. He wi thdraws the Prana from the part that is cut. He can shed light by raising hi s hand. He can make a dur,nb man talk. He can give sight to a blind man. He can walk in the sky. He can multiply himself. He can bring i nstantaneous cure of many diseases. He can remain for six months underneath the water. He can take any form he l i kes. Any Yogi, by practice, can have these Siddhis. Some Siddhis are passed from Guru to disciples. The Siddhis should not be
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demonstrated for materi al benefit or selfish i nterest. Siddhis are the greatest obstacles for Self-reali sation. With a desire to possess some S iddh i s and to amass wealth, worldly people run to H i ma l ayas and take Sannyasa. After a stay of some days they go back. These S i ddhis are not possi ble for ordinary people. One should undergo rigorous Sadhana for a long period. Even after attai n i ng Siddh is, one should not demonstrate them for getting fame or selfish ends. S iddh is should be performed very carefully as there i s danger at every step. One must master the technique thoroughly under an experienced Yogi Guru. S i ddhis should not be performed in a careless manner. Once a man learnt the S iddhi by which he could transform himself to any form by incantations of Mantras. He demonstrated this i n Bengal by giving two cups of enchanted water to the publ ic. He asked the onlookers to spri nkle a few drops of water on him. He became a crocodile. The other cup of enchanted water that was intended to bri ng h i m back to human form, when spri nkled on him, was powerless. So, the man remained in a crocodile form ever s i nce and the public often thought of shooting it. One Punj a bi Sadhu clai med t o have the contro l l i ng power over animals. He had a tamed l ion . To demonstrate his Yogic power over w i l d ani mals, he toured all the provi nces with his l ion. In U ttar Pradesh, he w as asked to stand before a circus l ion. The lion sprang on h i m and the poor man lost his l i fe . The people who possess Yogic powers shou ld be carefu l . The powers are not intended for public demonstrations and to earn a decent livel i hood. A Lama i n Ti bet had the power to make a man as a statue by a mere look . A Brahmac hari who was running after S i ddhi s, went to Ti bet and found this Yogi to learn th i s S i ddhi . His desire, perhaps, was to enter any house and by making the i nmates as statues, to knock away the wealth. At the s i ght of this B rahmachari , the Lama made him as a statue. The boy never thought of this result. People should behave very carefu l ly with the Yogi who has Yogic powers. The Yogi s can clearly understand the i nner motive of others.
Special Instructions I . If the aspirant has the nature of bei ng offended easily for
trifl i ng thi ngs he cannot make any progress i n meditation. He should cultivate amiable, lovi ng nature and adaptabi lity. Some
GARLAND OF YOGA aspirants get easily offended if their bad qualities and defects are pointed out. They become indignan t and begin to fight with the man who shows the defects. They think that the man is concocting them out of jealousy and hatred. This is bad. Other people can very easily find out our defects. A man who has no life of introspection whose mind is of outgoing tendencies (Bahirm ukha Vritti ) cannot find out his own mi stakes. The self-conceit acts as a veil and bl urs the mental vision. If an aspirant wants to grow, he must admit his defects if they are pointed out by others. He m ust try his level best to eradicate them and must thank the man who points out his defects. Then only he can progress in the spiritual path . 2 . lt becomes a difficult task to eradicate the self-assertive nature. Every man has built his personality from A nadikal a (beginni ngless time). H e has given a long rope to the Rajasic m i nd to have its own ways.
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3. Man fi nds it difficult to adj ust to the ways and habits of others. His mind is fi l l ed with prejudice of the caste, creed and colour. He is quite intolerant. He thinks that his views, opi nions, and way Of li ving are right and views of others are incorrect. The faultfinding nature is i ngrained in him. He j umps at once to find the faults of others. He has morbid eyes. He cannot see the good in others. He cannot appreciate the meritorious actions of others. He can brag of his own abi lities and actions. That is the reason why he tights with al l people and cannot keep up the friendship with others for a long ti me. Aspirants do not make any progress i n the path, because they too have these defects to a great degree. They shou�d eradicate them by developi ng tolerance, pure l ove, a�d other Sattvic qual ities. 4. You have . heard several eloquent lectures del ivered by learned Sannyasins. You have heard Kathas, discourses and expositions on the Gita, the Ramayana, the B hagavata and the Upanishads. You have heard several valuable, moral and spiritual instructions. B u t you have not a t all endeavoured t o p u t anything i n earn�st practice and to do protracted Sadhana. Mere i ntellectual assent to a religious idea, a l ittle closing of the eyes i n the morn i ng and at night, just to deceive oneself and the l ndweller, a l i ttle endeavour to stick to the dai l y spiritual routine and to develop some virtues in . a half-hearted careless manner, some mild effort to carry out the .instructions .of your spiritual preceptor w i l l not suffice. This kind of mentality should be entirely given up. A�irants should fol l ow
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the instructions of his Guru and the teachi ngs of the scriptures to the very letter. No leniency for the mind. There can be no half measures on the spiritual path. You cannot say: "I will see to them later on. I can devote more ti me when I retire. I have followed tills instructions more or less, as far" as possible." This ' more or less' or ' as far as possible' busi ness i s disastrous for an aspirant. There is neither exception to the general rule nor 'any allowi ng margin' in spiritual instructions. Exact, i mplicit, strict obedience to the instructions is expected of you. 5. Do not make any thoughtless remarks. Do not speak even a si ngle idle word. Give up idle talk, tall tal k, l ong talk, big talk, and loose tal k . Become silent. Do not assert and fight for rights in this physical i l lusory plane. Thi nk more about your duties and less about your rights. Asserti ng for rights comes out of Rajasic egoism. These rights are worthless. It is wasting of ti me and energy. Assert for your birthright viz., God-consciousness. Thou art Brah man. Assert this real birthright. Then you are a wise man. 6. If you remai n in the company of a developed saint, you will be i mmensely benefited by his magnetic aura and spiritual currents. His company w i l l be l i ke a fortress for you. You wil l not be affected by evil i nfluences. There is no fear of downfall . You can have rapid spiritual progress. The company of a saint remarkably hastens the growth of S attvic virtues i n the aspirant and gives h i m greater strength, energy and power to awaken all his dormant powers and to eradicate undesirable negative qualities and various defects. Young aspirants should remain in the company of their Guru or saints t i l l they are firmly moulded or established i n the spiri tual path and deep meditation. In these days many young aspirants wander aimlessly from place to place. They do not hear the i nstruction of their teachers or experienced saints. They want independence from the very start. Hence they do not make any progress in spiritu ality. They remain as burdens on society. They have not elevated themse l ves. They are of no use to others also. They are free gentle men at l arge. . 7 . Never rest contented w i th a l i ttle achlevement or success i n the path, a l ittle serenity of mind, a little one-pointedness o f mind, some visions of angels or S iddhis, a l ittle faculty of thought reading, etc. There are sti l l higher summits to ascend, higher regions to climb. Continue the spiritual practices. 8. Live a l i fe of utter devotion to service. Fill your heart with fervour and enthusiasm for service. Live only to be a blessing to
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others. · If you want to achieve this, you will have to refine your mi nd. You will have to pol ish your character. You will have to mou ld or bui l d your character. You should develop sympathy, affection, benevolence, tolerance and humility. Do not fi ght with others if their viewpoints differ from you. There are many types of · mind. There are various modes of thinking: There are honest differences in opinions. There are various kinds of opinions. Everyone is correct from his viewpoint. Adj ust yourself with their views. Hear their views also with sympathy and attention, and give them a place. Come out of the centre of your small narrow egoistic circle and have a broad vision. Be catholic and l i beral i n your views. Give a place for the views of all . Then only you w i l l have a n expanded life and a very large heart. You must speak gently and sweetly in a courteous manner. You must tal k a l ittle. You must eradicate undesirable thoughts and feelings. There m ust not be the least ti nge of pride or irritabil i ty. You m ust forget yourself entirely. You must not reserve even a trace of personal element or feel ing. Complete dedication to service is needed. If you are equipped with the above qualifications, you are a beacon light and a rare blessing to the world at large. You are indeed a rare sweet flower whose delicious aroma will permeate and pervade throughout the length and breadth of the land. 9. Be on the alert when you do service to the society. Unselfish service ·of any kind, platform lectures or any kind of public activity will surely bring i n name and fame. Name and fame wil l destroy you like a canker i n a blossom or a young plant. Treat name and fame as poison. Become very, very humble. Let this virtue be ingrai ned in your heart, every cel l , every nerve, every fibre of your bei ng. Many have had their downfall by becoming victims to this powerful i ntoxicant, name and fame. Their progress was stopped. So I am seriously warning you.
I 0. You m ust develop to a remarkable degree discrimination,
discernment, alertness, and the faculty of Daksha (expertness) which will help yoti to decide a right l i ne of action when you are in a dilemma. Then only you will be able to find out what i s exactly required at the critical juncture or at the right time but not an hour afterwards. You will not regret afterwards in any way.
I I . It is extre mely difficult to have a calm and pure mind. B ut
you must have such a m i nd, if you want to have progress i n meditation, i f you desire to do Nishkama Karma Yoga. Then only you will have a perfect i nstrument, a wel l-control led mi nd at your
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disposal . This is one of the most important qualifications for the aspirant. You wi l l have to struggle hard for a long time with patience and perseverance. Nothing is i mpossible for a Sadhaka -rvho has iron will and strong determi nation. 1 2. Introspect. Look with i n . Try to remove your defects. This is the real S adhana. Thi s is the most difficult Sadhana. You will have to do it at any cost. InteBectual development is nothing. It is more easy. Regularly read some books for some years with a dictionary by your side. You can develop your i ntellect. B ut the former needs a great deal of struggle for many years. Many old vi cious habits have to be rent asunder. There are big Mandaleshwaras and Mathadhipati s who can del i ver l ectures for a week on one Sloka of the Gita or the Upanishads. They command respect and yet they are disliked by the public, because they sti l l have great .defects. They have not done much introspection. They have not done drastic Sadhana to remove their defects. They have developed only their i ntel lect. What a great pity ! 1 3 . This worl d is nothing but sex and ego. Ego i s the chief th ing. It is the basis . The sex is hangi ng on the ego. If the ego is destroyed by the Vichara or enquiry of 'Who am I' , sex-idea takes to its heels by itself. Man, the master of his destiny, has lost his divine glory and has become a slave, a tool i n the hands of sex and ego on account of ignorance. Sex and ego are the products of Avidya or nescience. The dawn of knowledge of the Self annihilates the two enemies of Atman, the two dacoits who are plunderi ng the helpless ignorant l ittle Jiva. The practice of cel ibacy i s not attended with any danger or any disease or any u ndesirable results such as the various sorts of 'complex ' , which are wrongly attri buted by the Western psychologists. They have no practical knowledge of the subject on hand. They have got a wrong, ill-founded imagination that the u_ngratified sex-energy assumes the various forms of 'complex' i n disguise such a s touch-phobia, etc . The 'complex' is due t o some other causes, It is a morbid state of mi n d due to excessive jealousy, hatred, anger, worry and depression brought about by various causes. 1 4.
1 5. It is quite possible for a man to practise cel ibacy while
remaining in the world, albeit there are various sorts of temptations and distractions. Many have achieved this i n times of yore. There are many even at the pre sent moment also. A well-disciplined l i fe, study of rel i gious scriptures, Satsanga, Japa,
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Dhyana, Pranayama , Sattvic and moderate diet, dai ly i ntrospection and enquiry, self-analysi s and self-correcti on, S adachara, practice of Yama, Niyama-a ll will pave a long way in the attainment of Brahmacha rya. People have an irregular, unrighteous , i mmoderate, irreligious, undiscipli ned life. Hence they suffer and fai l i n the achievement of the goal of life . Just as the e lephant throws dust on its own head, so also the worldly people themselves bri ng difficulties and troubles on their own heads on account of their fool ish ness. 1 6. Varna-ashrama -dharmas are practically exti nct now. Every one is a Vaishya or Baniya only with greed for accumulation of wealth by hook or crook by begging, borrowing, stealing or swindling. Al most all Brahmins and Kshatriyas are B an iyas or Vaishyas only. There is no real Brahmin or Kshatriya i n these days. They want money anyhow. They do not attempt to practise the Dharmas of their order of life . This is the fundamental cause for the downfall of man. If the householder discharges strictly the duties of his stage of life, if he is an ideal Grihastha, there is no necessity for him to take Sannyasa. The swe l l i ng up in the number of Sannyasins at the present moment is due to fai lure on the householders in the discharge of their duties. The life of an ideal householder is as much difficult and rigid as that of an ideal Sannyasi. Pravrittj M arga or the path of Karma Yoga is as much difficult and rigid as that of Nivritti Marga or the path of renunciation. ·
1 7. There are people who waste days and nights i n idle talk, i n playing cards and chess. There are people who waste weeks i n drinki ng and chitchatting. There are people who waste months i n the company of the sisters of i l l fame and i n gambling and various other licentious actions.
1 8. Man has come here for a defi nite purpose. Life is not meant for eati ng, dri nki ng, dressing and procreating. There is something grand and sublime behi nd. There is an eternal life of bliss beyond. Every second must be well uti l i sed for the achievement of this goal of life. Ti me i s most precious. It can never come back. I t is rolling on with tre mendous speed. When the clock strikes, beat: in mi nd that one hour i s cut off from your span of life. You m ust tremble with fear and say : "Death is drawing nigh. I am wasting my time. When shall I realise the goal of life? When shall I have His Darshan. When shal l I meet Him? When shall I free myself from this wheel of Samsara?"
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1 9. Vairagya and renunciation (Sannyasa) are mental states only. To remai n in the world and at the same time to be out of it, is the true test of ren unci ation. Real ren u nciation is in the mind. Real San nyasa is a mental state. One may give up his wife, wealth, chi ldren and position . and yet he may not be a San nyasi for he may be attached to them in his m ind, in his heart of hearts. 20. The vulture soars high up in the sky but i ts mind is directed towards carcasses. The fly sits on sweetmeats and on dung as well . Even so many persons talk about very high philosophy b u t in their heart of hearts they c l i ng to sensual enj oyments. These minds are saturated with lust and all sorts of Tri shnas (cravings). 2 1 . Vast majority of people, even educated people, have no definite aim in l i fe . Hence they are drifted · here and there l ike a log of wood i n a ri ver. They do not know what to do. Some students fi nish their B . A ., or M.A., course. They do not know how to proceed further. They have not got the power of j udgment to select any good avocation that is suitable to their temperament, that can bri ng them prosperity and success in l i fe. They become lazy. They are not fit for any adventurous enterprise or any speculative business or any kind of activity that demands knack and ski l l . 2 2 . They waste their time and finish their life-career in gloom, despair and sorrow. The energy is there. The i ntellect is there. They have no defi ni te aim or purpose. They have no ideal . They have no clear-cut programm e for l i fe . Hence their l ife becomes a fail ure. Everyone of you should clearly u nderstand the aim of your l i fe . Then you should chalk out the l i ne of work that is congenial to your ai m . You should work hard to reali se the aim. You should have your ideal and you should try every second to J i ve up to the ideal . You can reali se the ideal , right now in this very second or after ten years by wal ki ng with faltering steps. It does not matter much. The i deal and aim must be there. 23 . When one has successfully finished his duties as a householder, when his sons are all fixed up i n life, . when his daughters are given i n marriage, he should devote the remaining portion of his l i fe i n spiritual pursuits, study· of rel igious books and divine contemplation. M any people have no definite programme i n l i fe. After retirement from Government service, they enter State service or act as canvassing Agents. They are sti l l greedy. Til l the end of life they count money and entertain thoughts of grandchildren. Pitiable i s the lot. of such people! Blessed i s he who
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spends the whole time in study and meditation i n a solitary place after retiring from service. 24. Some people i n whom the reason has devel oped, have got the habit of entering i nto u nnecessary controversies and discussions. They have got Tarka Buddhi . They cannot remain quiet even for a second. They will create opportuniti es for heated debates. Too m uch discussion ends i n enmity and hostili ty. Much energy i s wasted i n useless discussions. Inte llect i s a help if i t i s . used i n the right direction of Atmic Vichara. Intellect I S a hindrance if i t is used i n unnecessary discussions. Inte l l ect takes the aspirant to the threshold of i ntuition. So far and no further. Reason helps i n inferring the e xi stence of God and finding out suitable methods for Self-reali sation. Intuition transcends reason but does not contradict reason. Intuition is direct perception of truth. There is no reasoning here. Reasoning concerns m atters of the physical plane. Wherever there is 'why?' and 'wherefore?' there is reasoning. In transcendental matters which are beyond the · reach of reason, reason is of no use. 25 . You must not be discouraged even a bit by repeated failures. You will gain e xperience through fai lures. You will know the cal!ses which brought out the fai lure and will be careful i n future to avoid them. You w i l l have to fortify yourself carefu lly. In your weakness lies your strength. You w i l l have to stick fi rmly to your principles, ideals, convictions and Sadhana despite repeated fai l ures, and march boldly in the spiritual path. Say : "Let anything come. I wi l l surely come out with sanguine success. I w i l l realise the Self i n this birth, nay i n this very second. Fai lures are descents or slips that cannot in any way affect me." 26. Intel lect helps a l ot in reflection and ratiocination. But people,. i n whom reasoning has h i ghly developed, become sceptical . Their reason becomes perverted also. They l ose fai th i n Vedas and i n the teachings of Mahatmas. They say: "We are rational ists. We cannot bel ieve anything which does not appeal to our reason. We do not bel ieve the Upanishads. We reject anything that does not come within the domain of reason. We have no faith in God and Sat-Gurus.'' These so-cal led rationali sts are a type of atheists only. It i s very difficult to convince them. They have an i mpure, perverted reason. Thoughts of God cannot enter their brains. They wil l not do any kind of spiritual S adhana. They say: "Show us your Brahman of the Upanishads or I svara of the Bhaktas." Those who are of doubting nature will perish. Reason i s
PRACTICE OF YOGA a finite instrument. It cannot explai n many mysterious problems of life . Those, who are free from the so-called rationalism and scepticism, can march in the path of God-realisation. 2 7 . I am always ready to help you. My sympathies are ever with you. I wi ll radiate joy, peace, thought-currents of love to you. I will i nspire you. But I cannot do the work for you. You yourself . will have to do the work. The struggle and exertion must come from your side. You will have to place yourself each footstep in the spi ritual ladder. Al ways remember thi s point well . 2 8 . Hey Saumya! Dear Immortal Self! B e bold. B e cheerfu l , even though you are i n the role o f unemployment, though you have nothi ng to eat, though you are clad in rags. Thy essential nature is Sat-Chit-Ananda. The outer cloak, this mortal physical sheath is an i l l u sory production of Maya. Smile, whistle, laugh, jump, dance in joy and ecstasy. S i ng OM OM OM ! Ram Ram Ram ! Come out of thi s cage of flesh. Thou art not this perishable body. Thou art immortal sou l . Thou art sexless Atman. Thou art the Atman who dwells i n the chambers of your heart. Act as such. Feel as such. Claim your birthright-not from tomorrow or the day after, but right now from this very second. "Tat Tvam Asi-Thou art That." Feel . Assert. Recognise. Realise. My beloved Ram !
.APPENDIX THREE
LIVES O F GREAT SAINTS Sankaracharya and His Disciple (DES I R E MULTI PLI ES) Sankaracharya left his disciple Govi nda in Mount Abu with ful l instructions about Sadhana and proceeded to Varanasi. Govinda kriew pretty well pri nciples of Sannyasa and Vairagya. · He l i ved quite a simple life i n a thatched Kutia. One day, his Kaupina was torn i nto pieces by the rats. He asked the v i l l agers to provide h i m with a Kaupina. They supplied h i m one. This was also damaged by the rats. He again asked the v i l l agers for another w hich was supplied to him. This sort of thing contin ued for some days. Then the villagers suggested: "0 Govi nda, to ask dai l y for a Kaupina i s very troublesome. Keep this cat i n your Kutia." Gov inda took the cat. When he went for his Bhi ksha, he asked for a l ittle mil k for the cat. Everyday he troubled them for milk. Now the villagers advised him "0 Govinda, this is all troublesome. We w i l l give you a cow. You need not come here daily for milk." Govinda took the cow to his Kutia. When he went for his Bhiksha to the v i l l agers, daily he asked for grass for the cow. The vil lagers then said: "0 Govinda, to supply you every day grass is very, very troublesome. Do one thing. You can have a small plot of l and. You can till, put on paddy, vegetables and have plenty of grass also." Govi nda had the plot of land. He again asked the v i l l agers for some coolies to plough and to manure the land. He had some coolies also. He had to put up a big compound, erect a storehouse, central bungalow, sheds for cows, outhouses for servants, two wells, etc. He did everything. He was dri nking plenty of good milk and taking Basmati rice. Gradually he had nice complexion and a stout body. He entirely forgot all the instructions of his Guru about Tyaga, Vairagya, Japa, meditation, Mitahara, etc. He had a nice Haridwar Harkipedi life with Fal luda, Rasagul la, Khir, etc. After some t ime Sankaracharya returned from Varanasi. He was unable to trace Govinda's Kutia, because Govinda is now l i vi ng i n a bungalow · with ·compound-wall. One of the villagers poin ted out the bungalow. S ankaracharya went inside and could not recognise Govi nda. Govi nda was not the same lean Brahmachari who l ived ·
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on alms. Sankaracharya fou nd much ghee in Govinda's pot belly, which could only be removed by rigorous practice of Chandrayana K.richra Vratas and Uddiyana and Naul i K.riyas. Govinda prostrated before Guruji and said: "Guruj i Maharaj , it is all for the . sake of one Kaupina only." He narrated in detail the whole story. Sankaracharya pitied h i m as he was only a boy, and i mpressed i n h i s .m i nd that h e ought to b e very careful i n future in the destruction of all Sankalpas and . desires which are the root causes . of all m i sery, pai n , delusion, birth and death. Note carefully how a s ingle desire for one Kaupina multiplied into desires for cat, m i l k, cow, grass, paddy, bungalow, servants, etc. This is Maya. Maya . works havoc through loopholes and weaknesses of men . One desire m ultiplies i nto· millions of desires. "It is insati able l ike flame." These are the words from the Gita. A s i ngle cravi ng m u l tiplies i nto thousands of cravi ngs. Crush them. Nip them in the bud. You w i l l rest in Yogarudha state "Sarva-sankalpa-sannyasi yogarudhastadochyate-He is said to be enthroned i n Yoga when he has renounced all thoughts." You should not allow any desire to crop up even though it may appear to be a sheer necessity and very simple in the beginning.
Ekanatb (DESTROY ANGER) Ekanath Maharaj i s a well -known Maharashtra saint. He has written a very useful book, Ekanath B hagawatam, which you will fi nd i n every house i n Maharashtra. Look at his fervent devotion. Even Lord Kri shna h imself assu med the form of a poor Brahmin boy under the name Kandia and l i ved in his house for a period of 1 2 years rendering services, such as bringing water for Puja, making sandal paste for -.yorship, removing the leaves after dinner, etc. After 1 2 years Kandia disappeared miraculously. This saint w as very peaceful, calm, serene and tranquil always. Anger was u nknown to h i m . Some of the mischievous people of the village wherein Ekanath was l i v i ng, wanted to excite him by some way or ·other. The villagers · bribed a Mohammedan and asked h i m · to excite Ekanath i n any way. The Mohammedan agreed. He went to the banks· of the river and waited i n the place where Ekanath used to take his bath. When Ekanath came 1lfter his b�th, the Mohammedan spat o n his face. Ekanath did not speak a these Vratas the aspirant gradually diminishes and completely gives up his food in the course of 45 days. ·
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LIVES OF GREAT SAINTS word, s.i mply laughed and went again to take ano her ba h. When he came agai n, he M ohammedan spat. Ekana h smiled and wen for another bath. This process went on 1 08 imes. Ekana h was no at all affected. He was an embodi ment of patience i self. When he Mohammedan found ha E kanath was absolu ely sere ne, he thought to himself: "Ekana h is not a man. He is a God." The Mohammedan was very m u'ch afraid. He hought that Ekanath would curse him to death . He trembled and prostrated before Ekanath and begged pardon . Then the Mohammedan narra ed he whole story and said ha he was bribed by the villagers o exci e him. Once again the villagers bribed a poor Brahm i n and i nduced him to excite Ekanath. The _ Brahmi n hought within h imself: "Which wil l be the better way o excite Ekanath? Le me ca ch hold of his wife i n his presence. He is much a ached o his wife. This will surely irritate him. I will succeed i n m y a empt. This the best method." So, he decided to make his experimen . One day, when Ekanath 's wife was serv i ng food, this m ischievous Brahmin entered Ekanath 's house and caught hold of his wife. Can a flood i n the Ganga uproot the rocky mountain-ranges of Himalayas? Can an attack of diarrhoea do anything i n a Siddha who has Kaya Siddhi? Can poison have any i nfluence over a man who possesses the proper antido e and who has a knowledge of he herbal plant which can neutralise the poisonous effec s. Never. Never. Ekanath Maharaj stood as a solid rock, qui e smiling. He laughed hear il y. He ra her exhibi ed a fi of gramophone laugh er. What is this to a man, who has no identifica ion wi h he body, wife and other_ things? Wha is his for a man who has crossed the ocean of ignorance? What is this for a man who i s ful l of Sattva? What is _ this for a man, I should say God, l ike Ekanath who i s beyond the three Gunas, body, m i n d and B uddhi? Raja Janaka says: "Mithilayam pradiptayam na me dahati kinchana Even i{ the whole M i thila is burnt, it is nothing, no hing to me." -
In this si tuation, Ekanath asked his wife : "Lakshmi Bai, the child has caught hold of you. The child is very hungry. Give h i m milk profusely." When his poor Brahmin no iced tha Ekana h was no a bit moved, and heard he sympa he ic words, h i s hear melted. He felt a lot for his w icked ac . Tears were flowing abundantly from his eyes. He repen ed ha he had done a heinous crime. He pros rated before Ekana h and said: "Maharaj, forgi ve me. Forgi ve me. I have done a foolish act. I am a poor mari. I have
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no money for my maintenance. These villagers bribed me to do this act, to make you angry i n any way. As I was very poor, I was rather attracted by this offer of money, I have done a capital sin. Forgive me." Ekanath excused, forgave that poor ignorant Brahmin. He pitied and sympathised with him. He asked him to study t h e Bhagavata and to repeat the Mantra of Lord Krishna. He gave h i m a Tulasi Mala also. The v i l l agers were certain that this time they would succeed in their plan. They saw the poor Brahmin returning with a Tulasi Mala in his neck. They were quite disappointed. The Brah m i n told the m : "I did my best. I caught hold of his wife. This did not in any way affect him. He was sm il ing all the while. He is a God. Now I am his disciple. He has given me Mantra. From this time I have left al l my mischievous acts. I am now try i ng my best to have Darshan of Lord Krishna. Hereafter, I w i l l not join with you all ." When you get excited and irritated, you wi l l be able td control the anger, if you remember these two i ncidents of Ekanath's life. You may fai l 50 times. But each t i me, you will gai n some · kind of strength to control and restrain. After repeated efforts you are sure to succeed. Remember the story of the spider that made nine attempts and u l ti mately .succeeded i n the nrnth endeavour. Bri ng to memory the mental picture of Ekanath, his strong patience i n the al:iove two i ncidents. You wi l l draw inspiration and new strength.
Jada Bharata (BE H U MBLE) A certain king was passing in a pal anquin carried by four persons. One of the carriers fel l i l l on the way and was not able to carry the palanquin. The king saw Jada Bhar.ata, who was moving in the street as an Avadhoota with a robust, stalwart figure. The king thought that he was a proper person for the purpose, and asked the Avadhoota to carry the palanqui n . Jada Bharata reflected that this was a certain portion of his Prarabdha to carry a palanquin and most willingly agreed to do the work. After Jada B harata has taken charge of the service, there was a great deal of jolting of the palanqui n and the ki ng was much upset and irritated. Because· Jada B harata used to walk very slowly, looking down at various s mal l creatures, ants, worms, etc. He did not wish to crush them under his feet. He had a very gentle heart ful l of i ntense compassion. So, the king asked the palanquin-carriers: "Why there is much jol ti ng now?" The other carriers replied "Maharaj, the · new man is quite u seless. He only appears to be strong. But he i s
LIVES OF GREAT SAINTS very lazy and pl umpy. He places the footsteps very slowly. He cannot keep company with us." The king became very angry and spoke in harsh words : "0 stout, plumpy man ! Keep company with the other carriers. Do your work properly." Jada Bharata did not mind the king's words a bit. He was walking as before. Again there was j olting and when the king questioned, the carriers said: "We do our work properly. We are not to be blamed. The new man is sti ll moving slow ly. He did not mind the word of your Highness. He seems to be very i mpertinent." The king was much enraged and said: "0 new, stout, plumpy ass. You are very lazy. You do not do your work properly. You are impertinent too. I will whip you if you sti ll persist in your own way." Jada Bharata, who was not at all affected by the king's words, repl ied as fol lows · with a desire to teach the king a lesson : "0 Ki ng, if you whip, only thi s physical body wi l l be affected. I w i l l not be affected in the least. I am Kutastha. I am Atman. I am Asanga. I am Sat-Chit-Ananda Brahman. You called me stout, plumpy. Fatty condition or lean state belongs to the body. Atman is neither fatty nor lean. Hunger and thirst belong to Prana. Desire, l ust, anger, pai n belong to mind and not to Atman. What to do? What to accept? What to reject? Who is to abuse whom? Who is to respect whom? Who is to love whom? Who is to command whom? Who is to obey w hom?" You commanded that you wi l l whip me. When a man sees sameness, oneness, identity and homogeneity everywhere, where is grief, fear, del usion, sorrow, distress, pain for him. When the k i-ng heard these wise words of Jada Bharata, he was very much startled. He thought this man was a Jnani and not a coolie. He immediately got down from the palanquin, prostrated before Jada Bharata and begged pardon, and prayed that he should be initiated i nto the secrets of Vedanta. Jada Bharata told: "0 king, th is is not Dharma on your part to ask a wayfarer to carry your palanquin and i nsult him severely. This is not justice. I n future, you must be carefu l ." Then Jada Bharata gave him ful l i nstructions on Vedanta. You can draw a great deal of i nspiration, help and strength from the above incident. Jada Bharata can crush the king i n no time. But sages l i ke him will never do it. They are all-mercifu l . They are ocean of grace. They are ful l of humility. If a sick man or any other person asks you to carry a pot of water, you think that he is different from you, while in reality he is your own self. You
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become proud. You begin to abuse him. This i s not right. There is no l oss i n . service. Be humble. By humility you can destroy self-conceit. Behave l i ke Jada B harata, the greatest saint. Use your body as an i nstrument as he did. Do not i dentify yourself with the body.
Kabir's Method of Sadhana (DETACH AND ATTACH) Somebody asked Kabir: "0 Saint, what kind of Sadhana are you doing?" K abir replied: "I am detaching and then attaching, as i s done i n the Railway Junction . Trucks are detached from one train on a l i ne and then attached to another train on another l i ne. Even so, · I detach the mind from sensual objects and attach it to Brahman, the all-pervading S at-Ch it-Ananda Paramatman." Follow Kabir's method: 1 . Detach.:_Attach. 2 . Pump out-Pump i n . 3 . Forget-Remember. The same process is mentioned by Lord Krishna in the B hagavad Gita: Yato yato nischarati manaschanchalamasthiram Tatastato niyamyaitadatmanyeva vasam nayet. "As often as the wavering and u nsteady m i nd goeth forth, so often rei ning it, let h i m bring i t u nder the control of the Self." Repeat the above formu lae mentally several times. Then the process of fix i ng the m i nd on Atman will come by itself automatically. . Detach your mind from the sensual obj ects and attach i t to B rahman. Pump out i mpurities and pump i n all the virtuous qualities. Forget a l l the surroundi ngs. Always remember God. This · i s the method of Kabir ' s Sadhana. Why have iou forgotten your essential nature? Because you are always rememberin g your body, wife, children, world, objeCts and property. Now make an attempt to forget the body, wife, children and sensual objects. Forget the past, the surroundings and all that you have l earnt. Then only .you can remember Atman. Forgetting is an i mportant S adhana.
Tiruvalluvar's Wife .( CONCENTRATED M IND) Tiruvall uvar, the u n touchable Tami l saint of South India, one
LIVES OF GREAT SAINTS day plac�d on the head of his wife a sh all ow plate containing water and asked her to move along a procession with dance, music and a variety of plays with i nstructions that her head wou l d be cut off if a single drop of water fel l to the ground. The procession started from the front door of the grand temple of Srirangam, near Tiruchirapally. Tiruval luvar's wife accompanied the procession with the pl ate of water on her head. Her whole Prana, ful l m i nd and whole heart were perfectly centred o n the p late of water. The procession marched through the fou r streets, three times and at last terminated in the front gate wherefrom it commenced. The saint's wife brought back the plate of water in ful l without allowing even a single drop to fal l on the ground. Tiruvalluvar asked his wife: "0 Sarasvati ! Did you hear the band, music, play of flute and the dance party that accompanied the procession?" S he said: "No. I heard nothing. I knew nothing. I remembered noth ing. I saw nothi ng. My whole mind was on the_ plate of water only." Now, look here. The saint's wife had the deep concentration and so she did not hear, see, feel and remember anything. That m ust be the condition of your mind during meditation also. It is termed Ekagrata of mind. There must be u ndivided attention, u ndivided energy, everything being centred upon God. Then only you w i l l see God. Then o n l y y o u will b e able t o solve difficul t problems of life.
Drona and His Disciples (CONCENTRATION) You will find the fol lowing conversation to be very i nteresting between Orona and his disciples. Orona: 0 Yudhishthira, what do you see there? Yudhishthira: Acharyaj i , I see the bird to be aimed at, the tree on which the bird is sitting and I see you standing by my side. Orona: What do you see, Bhima? Bhima: I see the bird, the tree, yourself, Nakula, Sahadeva, the trees and plants on the gro1,1nd. Orona: What do you see, Nakula? Nakula: I see the bird, the tree, Arj una, B hi ma, the garden , the . streamlet, etc. Orona: What do you see Sahadev? Sahadev: I see the bird to be aimed at, yourself, Aijuna, B h ima,
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Yudhi shthira, the horses, .carriages, all the onlookers and several cows.
at.
Drona: Arj una, what do you see? Arj una: Revered Guruj i , I see nothing but the bird to be ai med
From the above lesson it is clear that when your mind i s concentrated upon a particular thing, y o u are not able t o see or hear anything else. You must have the one-pointed concentration of Arjuna for purposes of meditation by removing Vikshepa through Upasana and Yoga. Trataka and Pranayama are other aids to develop concentration. From this illustration it is clear that Arjuna only had the deep concentration.
Gladstone and Balfour Hon ' ble Messrs. Gladstone and Balfour had a great deal of conc.entration of mind. They had perfect control over sleep. They would never toss about for 1 5 to 20 minute s in the bed as in the case of all persons save Yogis. Does this not astonish you? Think over this seriously. How difficult it is to enter i nto sleep the very moment you l ie down . They had perfect control over thoughts. They could get up the very moment they wished. This is very difficult. This is easy also. This i s not a logica� paradox. Difficult for those who are l azy and who do not practise concentration. Easy for those who have Yogic practices of Dharam i, Dhyana and Samadh i. Napoleon Bonaparte also was a man of great concentration. He could get up from sleep to the very second he desired. He could sleep soundly e ven in the midst of war. He would never worry even a bit. He had highly developed Ekagrata of Chitta. These men were u nconscious Raja Yogis with thi s difference that they were not introspecting on the Atman with Antarmukha Vritti, but used their powers on the physical plane with Bahi rmukha Vritti .
Ranti Deva In Bhagavata a description i s given of Ranti Deva. He starved for 48 days and when he was about to break his fast on the morn ing of the 49th day with a little flour, sugar and water, a guest came i n . He gave a portion of the flour. After the first guest departed, a second guest came i n . He gave another portion of the flour. A third guest came in. He gave the rest of the flour and sugar. When he was about to drink the water, a fourtb guest came in and asked for some water to drink. He gave the water also. He
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had nothing. He said: "Let me take on my shoul ders al l the pain s and sufferings of humanity. Let me bring joy to others. Let me not have any selfish desire . Let me take delight in sacrificing my all." You can draw i nspiration and get renewed strength from Ranti Deva. His Yaj na or self-sacrifice was far superior to the Raj asuya Yaj na of Yudhishthira. This is an example of ideal sacrifice. You can evolve or expand through self-sacrifice, very quickly. You can polish the m i nd thoroughly. You can completely remove M ala and get cosmic consciousness easily. You must follow the example of that King Sibi of old who gave out of his bosom a mass of flesh equal i n weight to that of the pigeon for which he gave shelter when chased by the hawk under extreme pains of hunger. This is a real self-sacrifice, laudable, commendable i ndeed. Follow the footsteps of Dadhichi M aharshi, who lived near Nai misaranya, modern Nimsar. He gave his bones to Indra to make his Vajra weapon . There are various degrees i n self-sacrifice. A man may have 50 lakhs of Rupees. He may donate 2 lakhs to the Varanasi Hindu Uni versity. This is also a kind of self-sacrifice. A Tongawallah of a religious turn of mind, of a pious nature, gives 8 annas for charity, which is the whole earning of that day, and starves. Surely this i s far superior to the previous one, where the man · kept 48 lacs for his own enjoyment, and out of the surpl us, gave 2 l akhs for charity. You wi l l have to gauge the degree of self-sacrifice. He who distri butes everything· to others and does discriminate charity (charity done to deservi ng persons), is the best of all sacrificers. He is to be highly revered and worshipped. Some persons get one rupee. They keep it for themsel ves and give nothing in charity. There are others who distribute 8 annas in charity. There are some others who keep 2 annas for their own use and give the balance 1 4 annas in charity. There are very few who do not keep anythi ng for themselves, but distribute the whole amount to others. Mark here the various degrees of self-sacrifice. Persons who belong to the first type are pigs, not only pigs but stout Chi nese pigs, who are to be condemned ruthlessly. Others are al l sacrificers. But the last type of man, who gives his all i n charity is superior to al l . Gandhij i 's example i s very noble. H i s sacrifice is o f a superior degree.
Nama Deva Nama Deva was a sai nt of Pandarpur in Maharashtra. He was a
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tai lor by profession. It is supposed that he was an i ncarnation of Val miki. When he was a boy, he took some eatables as offering to Lord Kri shna-Vittha la of Pandarpur temple, placed them before the dei ty and asked Lord Krishna to eat them. Everything remained in the plate. Nama Deva wept b itterly and prayed. Lord Krishna appeared before him i n h uman form, took the plate and ate the contents. When the boy returned with an empty plate, parents asked the boy: "What became of the contents?" Nama Deva replied: "Mother, Vitthala came personal l y and ate them." Parents were quite astonished. On the fol l owing day, his father accompanied the boy to the temple with the offering. The father hid hi mself. The boy placed the plate before Vitthala. Vitthala appeared in the human form as before and ate the contents. Nama Deva's father was closely watching. He was much surprised. He thought that Nama Deva was a Deva and not a man. When Nama Deva was sitting on the bank of the river Chandrabhaga with some bread and ghee, Vitthala wanted to test Nama Deva; He assumed the form of a dog and snatched the bread out of his hands. Nama Deva said: "0 my Lord in the form of a dog, I see Vitthala i n everything. Do not eat the plai n, dry bread. Allow m e t o apply ghee to the bread." Vitthala thought that Nama Deva was quite advanced i n hi.s devotion. He showed His Chaturbhuja Maha Vishnu form out of the dog. Nama Deva attained Sayujya Mukti.
Thkaram Tukaram was a Maharashtra saint who l i ved i n Dheo, a village on the banks of I ndrayan i . He had a cruel wife l i ke that of Sorrates. She was cruel but virtuous. She would never take her food before offering to Tukaram . . He was a contemporary of Ram Das. Once S ivaj i sent a plate of pearl and jewels to Tukaram. Tukaram refused to accept and returned the jewels for which, he had a good scold i ng from his wife . She said to Tukaram: "We have many children. We are too poor. We can utilise the king's present. Why have you returned them?" Tukaram was an ordinary cooli e who used to drive birds i n Jwari fields. He was not educated. His form of worship or mental picture was the deity of Pandarpur with hands on waist. He was very fond of Bhajan . His M antra was Vitthala, Vitthala,-another name for Lord Krishna. One day he told his friends that he would be going to Vaikuntha. He asked his wife also whether she would accompany. She refused. All people did not believe. One day as he was taking his bath in the river Chandrabhaga, a dazzling celestial Vimana came
LIVES OF GREAT SAINTS from Vaikuntha. Tukaram entered the Vimana and reached Lord Narayana's Lotus Feet.
Damaji Damaj i was a great devotee of Lord Krishna at Pandarpur. He was the D i van in a Mohammedan state. A severe famine occurred. Damaj i opened the treasury and distributed a l arge sum of money for the poor without obtaining permission from the Nawab. When the Nawab came to know of this act of Damaj i , he was much enraged an ci ordered that Damaj i must be executed. When he was being taken for execution, Damaj i asked the executioner to pass · through Pandarpur, as he wanted to have his l ast Darslian of Vitthala. They agreed. In the meantime Lord Krishna, assumed the form of a low caste man, went to the Nawab and said: "0 Nawab, I am a messenger from Damaj i , your Diwan. Here is the money to replace the sum he utilised. Give me a receipt now and release the Divan." The Nawab was very much puzzled and astonished at this incident There was so much lustre and attraction i n' the messenger that the Nawab thought that this man was a divine being. The Nawab sent people i mmediately to release the D i van. Lord Krishna did some more fun also. He took the receipt and kept i n the Gita owned b y Damaj i . Damaj i took h i s bath i n Chandrabhaga river, wanted to go through a few Slokas before his execution. In his great astonishment, he saw a receipt from the Nawab. He knew this was all the grace of Lord Krishna. He extremely fel t for having been the root cause of all these tr_oubles to Lord Krishna. He cursed hi mself that he had not the fortune to have H is Darshan. He intensely gave up his mind to Lord Krishna. The Lord gave him Darshan and Sayujya M u kti . People visit now Damaj i 's birthplace, 1 2 miles · off from Pandarpur. If you have sincere, Avyabhichai'ini Bhakti, you can get Mukti in no time.
Nandana Nandana belongs to the depressed classes of South India. He was serving a Brahmin in the cultivation of his lands . He was a · great devotee of Lord S iva. Chidambaram represents a southern Benares. It has a big temple. Nataraja is the name of Lord Siva. If you remain in Chidambaram for · some time, your - si n will be destroyed. This is a popular belief. When Nandana asked his master permission to go to Chidambaram for having Darshan of Lord Siva, the arrogant Brahm i n abused him, say ing: "You low-caste Pariah, you want to worship the deity of B rahmi ns. Go and worship the ghosts (Bhutas), your fam i l y deities." Nandana
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was a great devotee of S i va . He was always praying with devotion. On incessant request of Nandana, the Brahmin promi sed to send Nandana as soon as the culti vation was over. Nandana was very anxious about the long period that would take for cultivating the vast lands of th,e Brahmin. Lord S i va did a miracle to help Nandana. The dry lands of the Brahmin which remained uncultivated were fil led with green paddy in a day. The Brahmin was quite astonished. He thought that this Nandana was a great devotee. He i mmediately al lowed Nandana to go to Chidambaram. Nandana had Darshan of Nataraja and attained Mukti . God gi ves Hi's helping hand to all Hrs si ncere devotees. .
Swami Krishna Ashram
Swami Krishna Ashram is a l iving saint at Daroli village, 1 4 mi les down below Gangotri . H e is l i ving there for the last several years i n an absolutely nude state, in an icy region, where an ordi nary man may require a woollen sweater and six blankets. He is a Maharashtra Brahmin. He was l i ving on the banks of Narmada. He was a S iva Bhakta. He threw away al l his Puja utensils, went to Varanasi , took Dandi Sannyasa and remained i n Varanasi for a year. He then came to Haridwar, threw off the Danda and became an Avadhuta. For sometime he l i ved in Uttarakasi . When sharp flies were biting his body, when blood was emerging profusely, he would never drive away the fl ies . Such was his power of endurance. Once i n the Kshetra an arrogant servant insulted him for not bri nging any vessel for Dhal and poured very hot Dhal on the hand. The sai nt drank the Dhal though the l ips and hands were scalded. There is another Swami by name Bhuma Ashram at Darol i i n a nude state. He is a friend of Krishna Ashram. He has great power of endurance. Titi ks�a is an essential attri bute of a Sannyas i . You can do nothing i n the spiritual l i ne without Titiksha. This is one of the Shat-Sampat. Practise this virtue. Draw inspirations from Swami Krishna Ashram . Even in the Gita, you will find:Matrasparsastu kaunteya sitoshnasukhaduhkhadah Agamapayino-anityastan titikshasva Bharata. "The contacts of matter, 0 son of Kunti, giving heat and cold, pleasure and pai n, they come and go. They are i mpermanent. 0 Bharata, endure, them bravely."
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Ycun hi na vyathayantyete purusham purusharshabha Samaduhkhasukham dhiram so-amritatvaya kalpate. "The man whom these torment not, 0 chief of men, balanced i n pain and pleasure, steadfast, h e gets immortality."-Gita II- 1 4, 1 5 .
Siddharudha Swami Siddharudha Swamiji is a l i vi ng veteran saint of great reputation. He is in Hubl i . He has exhibited many miracles, thought-reading, etc. He has Trikala Jnana, simultaneous consciousness where there is only the present. In deep concentration, you do not know how time passes. Hours rol l on quickly. Past and future become blended i n the present. This is a sign of progressive, intense concentration. If time is hangi ng on you, that shows that the mind i s wandering about. Large number of persons go about for Darshan of Siddharudha. People have built a huge temple for him . ' He holds evening classes i n the Yoga Vasishtha, it is a valuable book on Vedanta. It is a book for the ardent Mumukshus for constant study. You must study it as many ti mes as possi ble. Then you wi l l have good Samskaras. You m ust not only study, but l i ve i n the spirit of the Yoga-Vasishtha. A l l people in the Ashram o f Siddharudha Swami constantly repeat this Mantra: "Sivaya Nama OM, S i vaya Namah; Sivaya Nama OM, Namah Si vaya." Even a ploughman utters this Mantra when he works in the fields. A m i l l -grinder repeats this Siva Mantra when he grinds the flour. The whole Ashram, the whole Hubli, is fi lled up with the powerful vibrations of this S i va Mantra.
APPENDIX FO UR
AN ECDOTES A Brahmin Priest You are aware, I bel ieve, that the B rahmins are fon d of eati ng, and the Mohammedans are very fon d of showy dress. There is a proverb that a Brahm i n l ost a l l h i s property through eatin a and a Mohamme dan through dressi n g . There was a in S hastri Lakshm inarasu name, by priest B rah � i n Raj ahmundry, East Godavari D istrict. He w i l l come under the hierarchy of Kumbhakarn a and H iranyakasipu. Kumbhakarna , brother of Ravana, used to eat at one stroke, at one s i tting six month s ' s upply of food. This was a s l i gh t tiffi n or Chota H azri for Kumbhakarna. This was h i s very, very l ight diet, Yogic M itahara. The B rahm i n priest also w i l l not in any way lag beh i n d Kumbhakarna with reference to eating. He w i l l assuredl y keep pace w i th h i m from a l l v iewpoints in thi s l i ne. One day this B rahm i n was i nv i ted for dinner by a Sub-j udge Narayana Pantul u Garu on the Sraaddha day of his father. General l y, a Brah m i n who takes food on a Sraaddha day i s considered a s Viswedeva D evata, a n d i s treated w i t h very great respect a n d reverence. Lakshm inarasu S hastri was very fond of good cow 's ghee and Laddu . Laddu was meat and drink to the S h astri . He wou l d forget h imself i n the presence of Laddu and ghee. The S ub-j udge had engaged that day a Laddu expert to prepare Laddu i n a most ski l fu l manner. The Brah m i n priest sat for dipner. Two big plantain leaves were placed before the S hastri . Fifteen -�addus and half a seer of cow 's ghee were p l aced to start w i th. With i n 3 m i nutes, the Shastri fin ished thi s portion of Laddu and drank t h e ghee l ike water. A nother lot o f fifteen Laddus - and half a seer o f ghee were p l aced. T h i s process continued t i l l the S hastri was satisfied. He was able to take only 2 20 Laddus and 4 seers of ghee. That was a l l . The quantity consumed came out of the stomach and regurgitated back i n to the oesophagus and was touchin g the back part of the throat. I n t h i s condition, t h e S hastri was n o t able t o get up. He was pant i n g for breath as the' contents4• i n . the gullet were pressing upon the l arynx and trachea. He was turn i ng from side to side. At l ast, two servants carried the S hastri to the verandah to wash
ANECDOTES his hands . Now, his condition became worse. There was nauseati ng tendency and retc h i ng with severe p a i n i n the stomac h . S ome of the p assers-by pitied at the m i serable condition of the priest and enqu i red h i m . The S h astri repl ied: " I am fo nd of Laddu and cow ' s ghee. Today the Laddu was nicely prepared in Judge Saheb ' s house. I. ate o n l y 220 Laddus and drank 4 seers of ghee. My stomach appears to be overl oaded. T here i s · severe gri p p i n g pain . Tht
A Soldier Bhakta Have you not heard of a recent Punj ab i ncidence? A soldier, a si ncere Rama B hakta, was o n patrol duty at n i ght. At that t i me a fine B hajana party were moving about quite c l ose to the soldier. The soldier was much moved by the Kirtan, left his duty and joined the sing i ng party. In the depth of his h igher emotions, he entered i nto Bhava Samadhi , the ecstatic state of B haktas. When he returned to duty at 6 a.m., he enquired the S ubedar Major Surdhar B ahadur, whether anyth i ng happened during his absence. The S ubedar said: "Not h i ng happened. I saw you al ways on patrol duty." The Bhakta soldier was very much astonished. He thought i t was all the grace of Lord Rama. Rama Hi mself was on the guard. A similar i ncidence occurred in Fyzabad. An I nspector of Schools on the inspection day st�yed at home for Puj a and meditation. When he came the following morni ng to the school for inspection, the teachers told him that he was present all along the previous day in the school, and that the inspection was over. The
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headmaster showed him the inspection report with the signature of the Inspector. Rama Him self assumed the form of the Inspector, just to help his devotee. The Inspector i mmediately resigned his job and went to Ayodhya to spend the rest of his l ife in communion with Rama. If you are si ncere and devoted, nothing is impossi ble. Secure the lotus-feet of Rama. You will have everything. You will be free from al l sorts of trouble. Say always: Rama, Rama, Rama, with sincere devotion.
A Saint A saint was passi ng in a thick forest. Two thieves met him, cut · off his two arms, and threw him i ri a dry wel l . A l i ttle l ater, a thirsty wayfarer came to the wel l to dri n k some . water and saw the m i serable saint with amputated hands. He helped the sain t to get out of the wel l . The sai nt was under the care of a surgeon for some days. Afterwards he proceeded to a Maharaj a of a rich state. The Maharaja entrusted him with the charity section. The saint was very virtuous, noble-hearted and generous. After he took charge, he distri buted a considerable sum of money i n charity. H i s name and · fame spread far and wide. The two thieves who amputated h i s hands, came i n for charity. The saint recei ved them with great respect and hospi tali ty and told the servants to give special accom modation and serve them w ith great care as they are very good and learned people. The thieves remai ned there in a royal style. Within their hearts, they had the greatest fear that thi s sai nt m i gh t revenge at any moment. . After a few day s , the thieves asked the saint permi ssion to go away; The sai nt gave them a cart-load of presents and decent articles and sent special messengers to escort them to their native place. In half way the messengers asked the two guest-thieves : "How is it that the sai n t showed spec i al courtesy and favour to you?" The thieves repl ied: "The sain t i s known to us before. He is our friend. We helped h i m very much." When they uttered these words, even the Mother Earth could not bear; the earth gave way and the thieves were destroyed by the wrath of S akti . The messengers returned and narrated the sad occurrence to the saint. The saint fel t very much. At once, he gave up food, m ade severe Tapas, prayed to God: "0 Rama, you have given Mukti to Ravana, your own enemy. Why cannot you g i ve M ukti to my enemies, the two thieves who removed my hands." God pitied the sai nt, restored the thieves from the cloven earth, and gave them l iberation.
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You wil l fi nd an echo of similar i ncidents i n Tolstoy 's life and teachings. Tolstoy say s : "Bless, pray and do goOd to the man who does the greatest harm to you." You will fi nd the same teaching i n the whole of B ible. Do not revenge. D o not return anger for anger. Do not displease anybody. Pray to God that He may purify the heart of a vicious man. If you remember the above illustrations, you can easily destroy hatred, jealousy, anger and other impurities. When these Vrittis are annihilated, peace follows automaticall y. The virtues Titi ksha, Kshama and Karuna should be developed to a maximum degree.
G LOSSARY ABHIMANA-Egoism Abhi nivesa-Thirsting for life Abhokta-Non-enjoyer Abhyasa-Spiritual practice Achara-Right conduct Adhara-Support, basis Adharma-U nrighteousness Adhyasa-Superimposition, fal se attribution Adhyatmic-Pertai n i ng to the Atman Advai ta-Non-dual ity, monism Agni-Fire Ahamkara-Egoi sm Ahanta-'1' -ness Ahi msa-Non- i nj uring, non-ki l ling Ajati vada-Theory of absolute non-existence Aj nana-lgnorance Akarta-Non-doer Akasa-Ether Akhanda-Unbroken, continuous Akshara-Sacred syllable, word Alasya-Laziness Anahata Sound-Mystic sound heard by Yogis. Ananda-B liss, happiness Anga-Li mb Ani rvachani ya-Indescri bable A ntaranga-Internal Anu-Atom Anubhava-Personal experience Aparigraha-Non-receiving of things Arj ava-Straightforwardness, frankness Asana-Posture, seat Asat-U nreal Ashrama-A hermi tage, order of life
GLOSSARY
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Asteya-Non-steal ing Asti-Bhati-Priya-Same as Sat-Chit-Ananda Atindriya-Beyond the reach of the senses Avarana-Vei l of ignorance Avatara-lncarnation of God Avidya-Ignorance BAHIRANGA-External Bahirmukha-External, outward Bhakta-Devotee Bhakti-Devotion Bhavana-Feeling Bhiksha-Alms Bhoga-Enjoyment Bhranti-Il lusion Bhuma-Unconditioned Bhuta-Spirit Brahmachari-Celi bate Brahmacharya-Celibacy, chastity Brahmamuhurta-The period from morning 3 a.m . to 6 a.m. favourable for spiritual practices. Buddha-All-knowing Buddhi-lntellect CHAITANYA-Absolute consciousness Chakshus-Eye Chit-Knowledge absolute Chitta-Shuddhi -Purification of m i nd Chitta-Subconscious mind DAMA-Control of Indriyas Darshana-Direct perception Dhairya-Boldness, firmness Dharana-Concentration Dharma-Righteous duty Dhriti-Patience Dhyana-Meditation Dridha-Firm Dri k-Seer Drishya-Seen Duhkha-Pain, misery
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D vesha-Hatred, di slike, repulsion EKAGRATA-One-pointedness of mind GHRINA-Aversion Gri hastha-Householder G una-Attri bute Guru-Spiritual preceptor MARSHA-Exhilaration IDAM-This I ndriyas-Sense-organs Irshya-Jealousy l shta-Favourite I svara Pranidhana-Self-surrender JADA-Insentient, l ifeless Japa-Repetition of the name o� God Jaya-Mastery Jijnasu-Spi ritual aspirant Ji va-[ndividual soul Jivanmukta-Liberated soul Jnana-l ndriyas-The organ of ear, skin, eye, tongue and nose J nana-Know ledge Jyoti-I I I um i nation, luminosity KAIVA L A-Final beatitude, isolation Kalpana-I magination Kama-Passion, desire Kamandal u-The Sannyasi 's vessel made up of goard Kantam-Magnetic power Karana-Sari ra-Causal body Karana-Instrument Karma-I ndriyas-Speech, hands, l e gs, genital s and anus Karma-Work, deal , action Karuna-Mercy, sympathy Kashaya-Hidden Vasanas Kaupina-Loi n cloth Kevala-Aione, absolute Kirti-Name and fame Koshas-S heaths Kshama-Forgi veness LAKSH A-Poi nt, object of meditation
GLOSSARY
285
Langoti-Loi n cloth Laya-Dissolution Li nga Sarira-Astral body Lobha--covetousness Loka-Sangraha-Solidarity of the world Maala-Rosary MAHAVAKYAS-Great sentences of the Vedas, viz., �raj nanam Brahma; Aham Brahma Asm i ; Tat Tvam Asi ; Ayam Atma B rahm a Mala-Impurity Manana-Reflection Manas-Mind Manasic-Mental Manonasa-Annihilation of mind Mantra-Sacred syl lable or group of syllables Mauna-Vow of silence Maya-Il l usive power Mitahara-Moderation of food Mithya-Unreal Moha-Attachment Moksha-Emancipation, l iberation Mukhya-Important Mukta-The li berated man Mukti-Liberation Mula-Root, basis, primitive Mumukshutva-In tense longing for li beration Murti-Idol , the form of God NADA-Mystic sound Nadi-Astral tubes by which the Prana moves in the sky Nama-Name Ni d idhyasana-Profound meditation · Nirguna-Without attributes Nishkama-Disinterested, selfless Nishtha-Faith Ni tya-Eternal Nivritti-Marga-Path of renunciation . OJAS-SAKTI-Spiritual energy PARAMA-Supreme Prakriti-Nature
286
PRACTICE O F YOGA
Pralaya-Di ssolution Pramada-Carelessness Prana-Vital e nergy Pranava-The sacred monosyllable OM Pranayaina-Control or regulation of Prana Prarabdha-Fructescent actions Pratyahara-Abstraction, drawing the senses from objects Pratyaksha-Direct perception Prema-Love Prithvi-Earth, undifferentiated matter Purna-Ful l Purushartha-Right exertion RAGA-Attraction, l i ke, attachment Rajas.-Passion, motion Rajasic-Passionate Rasa-Vir� a Rechaka-Exhalation Rupa-Form SADACHARA-Right conduct S adhaka-Spiri tual aspirant Sadhana Chatushtaya-Four qual ifications of the aspirants, viz., Vi veka, Vai ragya, S hat�Sampat and Mumukshutva Sadhana-Spiri tual practice Sakshatkara-Direct perception Sakshi-Witness S akti-Power Samadhi-Superconscious state Samata-Balanced state, equili briu m Samskara-Mental impressions Samyama-Combined course of D harana, Dhyana and Samadhi' Sankalpa-Formative w i l l , i m agin ati� faculty Sannyasa-Renunciation Sannyasin-One who has renounced everythi ng, an ascetic Santi-Peace Santosha-Contentment, happiness Sarira-Body Sarva-A I I S astras-Scri ptures
GLOSSARY
287
Sat-Chit-Ananda-Existence absolute, Know ledge absolute and Bl iss absol ute Sat-Real, existence Satsanga-As sociation with the wise, Sadhus, Sannyasins and Bhaktas Sattva-Purity Sattvic-Virtuous· Satya-Truth, Brahman Saucha-Purity Shat-Karmas-Si x purificatory exercises of Hatha Yogis, vtz., Dhauti, B asti, Tratak, Nau l i and Kapal abhati. Shat-Sampat-Si xfold virtues: Sarna, Dama, Uparati, Titiksha, Sraddha and Samadhana Siddh(\-Perfected sou l , a man of psychic powers Siddhi-Perfection, psychic power Sloka-Verse S marana-Remembrance Smriti--:-Memory Soka-Grief, depression Sraddha-Belief, faith and interest Sravana-Heari ng of the holy texts Stotras-Hymns Subham-Auspicious Suddha-Pure Sukha-Comfortable Sukshma-Subtle Sundaram-Beautifu l Sushupti-Deep sl eep Sutra-Verse, Aphori sm Svadhyaya-Study of scriptures S vapna-Dream Svara-Sound, tone, accent TAMAS-Inertia, darkness Tamasic-Du l l Tanmatras-Elements Tapas-Austerity, penance, mortification Tattvas-Elements Tejas, Taijasa or Tejomaya-Ra diant Titiksha-Forbe arance, power of en durance
288
PRACTICE OF YOGA
Titi kshu-One who has the power of forbearance Trikuti-The space between the two eyebrows Tripti-Sati sfaction Trishna-Intense cravi ng Tx aga-Renunciation
UPADHI-Vehicle, l i miting adj unct Upamsu Japa-Semi-verbal repetition of a Mantra U parati-Absol ute calmness, tranquillity Upasana-Worship Urdhvaretas-One who is perfectly establ i shed i n Brahmacharya U tsaha-Perseverance V AIKUNTHA-The abode of Lord Vishnu Vairagya-Dispassion to sensual enj oyment Vasana-Incl in ation, tendency and impulse; subtle form of desires; i m pression of an action Vedanta-Monism, non-dual ity Vedanti-A J nana Yogi Vibhu-A i l-pervadi ng Vichara-Right enquiry, discrimi nation Vikara-Unnat ural modification of mind Vikshepa-Oscil lation or tossi ng· of mind Viparita-Contrary Vis va-Cosmic Vi veka-Di scri mi nation, know ledge Viveki� A man of discrimi nation Vritti� Though t-wave, mental modific ation Vyadhi-Di sease Vya vahara-\\:'orldJy acti vities . Y AJNA- Sacrifice Yathas thana-Or�gina l seat Yoga-Un ion with God Yogi- One who prac� ises Yoga Yukti- Comm on-sen se
